Jaded Reflections
by Etherweil
Summary: The Swat Kats, who are already aware that everyone has a dark side, undergo an adventure of selfdiscovery and deep reflection as their lives take an unsuspected turn. A dark evil is unleashed in MKC that takes the SKs by surprise, and doubt surfaces.
1. The Past Is Locked With Regret

**Hey everybody! I'm back with my third fic! I don't want to explain too much about this unfolding story cuz I have several surprises in store for ya! ;D This is my first time writing a piece of fiction in first person so I'd appreciate your reviews.**

**Until chapter 2…happy reading:D**

**Etherweil**

**Jaded Reflections**

The past is forever locked with regret…or so my father once told me. I never really understood what he meant by that comment, but now, after I have felt the cruel passage of time and crippling effects of our imperfection, the burden of those words have come to haunt me, and their true meaning is more of a reality to me than the warmth of the summer sun or the crispness of an autumn wind.

I guess you can say it was an act of desperation, when I gave in to the evil I swore to fight in order to spare myself a greater pain. But now, when I look back, that pain I tried to save myself from is no longer sedated by my past reason and condonement. To ruin the lives of other in order to sustain your own happiness is perhaps the worst evil you could ever commit…and of this I am guilty…

I vividly remember staring out through the broken window of that old warehouse into the reflective waters of the dock. There was no moon that night, so the celestial bodies of the heavens stood out like fierce eyes against the unfathomable blackness of the sky. The rippling water of the dock held my attention as I watched the reflection of the city's proud skyscrapers glow upon the dark waves, casting an eerie glow upon the dock and the jagged edges of the broken window, showering me and the empty room in a cold spray of dancing prisms.

I was livid, and I am sure the resentment I strongly felt was obvious in my countenance. I was lost in my own chaotic mindset as I stared out into the beauty of the night, and I knew that this meeting was not going to end well.

The sound of approaching footsteps promptly brought me back to the real world. I tore my gaze from the dock towards the far corner of the creaking warehouse, were I saw a large figure materialize from the inky blackness. A sharp flash of silver slashed through the dusky atmosphere of the room, and the irritable blunt tap pounded the damp plank flooring.

Soon, the owner of this distinctive cane was standing a couple of feet away from me, the cruel outlines of his face partially masked by shadows. Despite the lack of light in the room, the icy abhorrence we felt for one another made the air around us bitterly frozen, and to me, it became difficult to breath normally.

"Commander…I'm pleased that you came." He purred with an evil glint in his eye as he dragged the point of his cane along the floor until it rested in front of him, allowing him to lean fully upon it so that his horrid face was even closer to mine so that I could see his bared teeth glisten in the subtle light.

"I thought I told you never to get a hold of me again Dark Kat," I hissed. "My affiliation with you has been fully terminated."

He chuckled at this. "Oh? And yet you came. Probably because you're well aware that you still have to hold up your end of the bargain."

I despised him even more after this comment. "It is not my fault that you cannot get your act together, I carried out my end of the deal and so your incompetence is no fault of mine."

He lashed his cane out into the air and pointed it accusingly at my face. "Wrong! In case you've forgotten, my past attempts have been thwarted by your men, and so my failure is in every way a failure of yours Feral."

My throat tightened in fury as I growled at the mention of my name.

"And so, my dear Commander, it is up to you to get rid of the problem."

I closed my eyes and let my head drop down to my chest. Despite what you may think, this was not an act of weakness. My worst fears were now a reality soon to unfold, this was what I had been dreading for the past several weeks.

"You expect me to get rid of my squadron?" I growled as he opened my eyes and glared at his stone cold face with an even keener sense of hatred than moments before.

"Did I say your entire squadron you fool? I don't care how you do it but I want those pilots that are a constant nuisance to me gone." Was his harsh, demanding reply.

The room fell silent as we glared at each other, and the atmosphere seemed to grow warmer due to the fierce concentration of our hatred. His eyes were glowing scarlet slits that burned into mine and as the seconds past it grew harder to match the intensity of his glare. I gritted my teeth in seething anger as I finally tore my eyes from his poisionous sneer and glared down at the floor. I could feel the hot blood boiling in my veins as my head and ears pounded deafeningly, it was all I could do not to throw myself at him to rip his throat out with my claws that were slicing into the palms of my quaking hands. Everything would be lost if I lost my temper now.

I could literally see the ugly smirk on his face as I listened to him speak in his cold tone. "And you know the pilots of which I speak."

"For the record Dark Kat, after our deal is finished I swear to God I'll never let you use me again for your evil." Never again would I put myself in this position.

His frigid laugh made shivers run up my spine. "Oh, isn't that poetic? On the contrary, you are still bound by our agreement, and if you do not carry out your promised task, then I shall undo my part and reveal your dealings with me to the public. I think its needless to say that what I'm asking you to do doesn't have as many repercussions as would you turning back on our agreement."

I was corned, and I despise that bitter feeling of hopelessness. I had no choice, I had to get rid of my two best pilots who were doing nothing but living up to their oath…unlike me. I breathed in deeply, trying to keep myself from screaming out like some wild banshee. "Then how do you proposed I get rid of them and make it look like an accident? I have a lot at stake here." God, I hated how those words rolled out so smoothly from my mouth.

Dark kat once again leaned upon his cane as he nodded in acknowledgment. "Believe it or not I have taken this into account." A malicious sneer slowly spread across his hideous face. "And I have the perfect scenario that will put the blame on your two pilots instead of it being placed on either of us."

Three jets in pursuit of a massive air ship screamed through the air while skillfully maneuvering through the rigid skyscrapers as if they were in some massive steel maze.

Chance Furlong, the leading pilot, growled in irritation as he pushed the throttle to the full maximum of his jet, only just barely starting to gain on the air ship known as the Fear Ship. The other two jets fell back a short distance as Chance pulls ahead of them. "Chance, Jake, let him go, it's too dangerous!" One of the pilots yelled through his headset.

Chance glared as he watched the Fear Ship get further ahead of him." Negative, we're bringing Dark Kat in. You guys go get yourselves some donuts."

"You two are nuts! We're breaking off pursuit!" The third pilot announced as he and the other pilot broke off from the chase.

Chance rolled his fighter between two skyscrapers with ease and once again, gradually started to come up on the Fear Ship. "Roger that, leave it to us. We'll bring this psycho in if it kills us.

Jake Clawson, Chance's RIO, looked back to see their friends bank off the skyscraper's Chance squeezed through. He quickly brought his attention back to the task at hand, and his eyes widened as his scope relayed urgent information. "Chance, he's locking missiles on the New Enforcer building!"

Chance tightened his grip on the stick. "Then ya gotta nail him now Jake!"

Jake grinned confidently. "No problemo. Missile deployed!" Jake's missile shot forth from the jet and struck the Fear Ship dead on. "Knocked out his weapon system!" Jake cried triumphantly, "One more shot and Dark Kat is history!"

As planned, I came up alongside their jet after Dark Kat allowed them to hit him, although I don't think he was expecting Jake to hit him in such a crucial area. I smirked at this, the megalomaniac deserved it. I focused on my hatred for Dark Kat in order to numb my prickling conscious.

"This is Feral. Fall back you two, I'll handle Dark Kat!"

"Negative Commander, we've already got our missiles locked! It's our tag!" Chance protested as he shot me a defensive glare.

I couldn't help but shake my head, he was so predictable. "I'm ordering you to back off!" I snarled back.

From the corner of my eye I saw him shake his head vigorously. 'I repeat, Sir, we have a lock!"

My grip on the stick tightened as I prepared myself for what I was about to do. All I could think of at that precise moment was whether they could learn to forgive me or not. My jaw was clenched as I veered my jet sharply to the left, directly towards the right wing of Furlong and Clawson's jet.

Jake had remained silent throughout Chance's and Feral's argument. He momentarily took his eyes off of his beeping targeting scope and looked over at Feral's jet, trying to determine the current mood of their Commander.

It was at this very moment that time tried to stand still.

Jake's eyes grew wide in shock and horror as he watched Feral's jet slide from between two skyscrapers and clip their wing as he banked, and the world immediately spun in front of him as he clung to his seat. The putrid smell of smoke filled both of the young tom's nostrils as they plummeted towards the city below them; their senses of direction lost in the chaotic hurricane of black smoke, screeching instruments, and glowing sparks. Chance, amidst the terrifying confusion, found himself fighting in desperation to get the jet under his control.

"We're outta the game Chance, we gotta eject!" Jake yelled over the sound of their dying jet.

"No way! I'm not ejecting!" Chance hissed viciously as he continued the fight to gain control.

Jake's grip on his seat tightened as an alarm goes off in the cockpit. "Chance, our stabilizers are gone!"

"I can control her!"

I was far ahead of them as I listened to Furlong and Clawson try to regain control of the jet. I knew for a fact that they were going to crash into some building, I struck them in the precise area that would ensure that inevitable outcome. The rage that had been building up in me since my last meeting with Dark Kat was overwhelmingly intoxicating. My pilot's voices gradually faded as I glared at the Fear Ship with an intense hatred that was fighting to rear its ugly head.

My paws were shaking as my jet confirmed a lock on the Fear Ship; it would be so easy to finish the job Clawson had started. The remedy of the nightmare I was living in was so close I could actually taste the freedom it promised me.

However, that remedy vanished just as quickly as it had appeared.

A thunderous explosion shattered through the air along with a sudden, blinding flash of light that made me close my eyes, disrupting my train of thought. Then, the light subsided seconds later, and in that short span of time, Dark Kat had somehow managed to escape my grasp. I looked back to see the new Enforcer Headquarters crowned with a furious, scorching blaze. It was after that, that I couldn't hold any of it in any longer. I screamed at the top of my lungs as I slammed my quaking fist into the console.

"Dark Kat is gone! And all because of those two young hotshots!"

I just had to convince myself that that's what really happened, that none of it was my doing…that it was all because of their insubordinace…but, since then, I have been fully aware that its all a lie…and the consequences of my actions have haunted me ever since, gnawing painfully at my soul.

'_It was our tag Commander, None of this would have happened if you hadn't interfered SIR.'_

'_That's it! You're off the force! Both of you!"_

'_Suits us. Who needs this crud anyway!"_

………

"_I can't believe you think I'm that stupid. I'd rather make a deal with Dark Kat than I would you!"_

"_You forget yourself Furlong, those are smart words coming from your wanted mouth."_

"_Like I give a care! Arrest me now and get it over with, we both know its what you really want to do!"_

Yes, I now realize what my father meant by those insightful words….And my clear understanding of it is a burden. The past is inaccessible and certainly best forgotten, but it is impossible to fully forget the cruel consequences from the chaotic and far reaching wake of my shortsighted actions.

As I sit here in my office, looking down at the bustling streets of this mighty city that I have sworn to protect, I can feel that familiar aching pain that has worn me down mentally and physically. Its been getting harder and harder to lie to myself and to those I love most…and still, forgiveness for all that I have done has not come to relieve my aching spirit….and I expect to carry this pain for the rest of my life.

I don't want to be numb anymore…


	2. Destructive Nature revisited

Here's Chapter 2, hot off the press. I hope you enjoy:D Oh...in case you don't know, Destructive Nature is an episode that deals with Viper (or was it that space bug thing? Oh well I can't remember) and the Manx's beloved and accursed MegaKat Tower. Thus, the inspiration for this chapters title. Enjoy!

Etherweil

Chapter 2

The once elaborate office space on the 25th floor of the MegaKat Tower was now completely overgrown with thick, thorny vines that had blanketed and coiled themselves on every single piece of matter. Outraged shrieks of queer, mutated creatures otherwise unthought-of of by any and every sane scientist on the planet echoed throughout the halls, alerting their fellow mutated plants that they were in pursuit of an intruder.

The muddled, yet hurried sound of hurried heels grew louder along with the unearthly screeches and yowls, and in a quick flash of bright magenta and flowing blonde hair, Callie skidded around the corner in her pencil heeled Gucci shoes and belted on down the hall at an amazing speed.

She spied an open conference room ahead of her on the right, and in two giant strides otherwise thought impossible to achieve in a short pencil skirt, she reached the doorway and leaped through and slid in on her stomach. She immediately jumped up from the floor, slammed the door shut while quickly locking, and then leaned against it as she struggled to regain her breathe. She listened to the massive horde of mutated vegetation with ridiculously tiny legs swarm past the door and further down the hall, still thinking in their pea sized brains that they were still in hot pursuit of her.

She sighed in relief as she slid down the door onto the floor. "Why didn't I follow my intuition and wear suit pants with my Mary Janes?" she moaned as she felt the full throb of her pounding, aching feet. Her eyes shot open and she glared down at her feet. "Stupid, Stupid, STUPID!" she growled as she yanked her shoes off her feet, preparing to throw them across the room in frustration. Just as she was about to throw them she stopped, realizing that they were, after all, Gucci's. With an infuriated huff, she let her arms drop to the ground in resignation, feeling extremely sorry for herself. As she sat there, her eyes wondered up towards the ceiling and right above the huge conference table was a venalation shaft. Her tongue clicked against the roof of her mouth as she got to her feet, still clutching the shoes in her paws as a past experience raced through her mind.

Not wanting to waste any time, she put the shoes on the table and lifted a chair next to them. After stacking another chair on top of the first one, she got onto the top of the table, climbed onto the chairs and opened the shaft. "I bet the Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles doesn't have to go through this sort of ordeal once a week." She grumbled to herself as she tossed her shoes up into the shaft and climbed up after them.

She carefully put the cover of the shaft back and turned to face her point of direction. A huffy expression appeared on her face as a cobweb fell across her scrunched up noise. "Figures."

Meanwhile…

"Sir, Mayor Manx is on his way to see what's going on." A Lieutenant Howard informed Feral as he glared up at the distant top floors of the MegaKat Tower were the faint outlines of massive vines could be seen clinging to the outside of the building.

Feral whirled around to face the nervous enforcer. "Did you tell him it was nothing serious like I told you to tell him?" the big tom quietly hissed.

"Y-Yes Sir, that's why he insisted on coming."

Feral just wanted to slap himself in the forehead as he leaned up against his squad car while rubbing the bridge of his noise between his eyes. "Of course he insisted." He mumbled.

"You should have just told him the truth Uncle, because he'd be miles away by now." Felina smiled, trying to cheer him up.

"I'll keep that in mind for next time." Feral muttered in reply.

Felina turned to see the Kat's Eye News van come skidding to a stop behind her uncle's car. "Great." Felina growled as she watched Ann Gora jump out the van along with her camera man Johnny who already had his camera aimed on the effected part of the tower. She turned to face Howard. "Go make sure they don't get too close." She instructed him. He saluted then ran off towards the news crew.

As if things couldn't go any worse for Feral, the mayors limousine pulled up and parked in front of Feral's car. "Great, now I'm blocked in." Feral gritted through his teeth as he walked up to the limousine just as Manx started to get out.

Unfortunately, Mayor Manx knew all to well what was going on with his beloved tower. His eyes were as wide as saucers as he stared up at the top of the tower with his bottom jaw quivering as it hung open.

"Mayor." Feral greeted with a false tone of coolness. "It's not as bad as it looks."

Manx slowly turned his pale face towards Feral. "N-N-Not A-As B-Bad A-A-As It Looks?" he stammered. Feral frowned as the mayor started to hyperventilate in front of him.

"NOT AGAIN!" he wailed as he grabbed a hold of his head with his paws. "MY TOWAH! IT'S INFESTAD WITH VIPAH'S CREATIONS AGAIN! AAAAAHHHHHAAAAAAA!"

"Mayor, Viper only has control of the few top floors, not the whole building." Feral droned.

"That may be so BUT THAT'S NOT GOIANG TO BE THE CAISE FOR LONG!" he screeched, making his well-bred accent all the more noticeable. "AAAAAHHHHAAAAAA!" he wailed as he leaned up against his limousine. "Driva." He moaned, motioning for the driver that was standing uncomfortably by the front of the limo. "Get me an aspirin." The driver nodded in consent as he rushed off to do Manx's bidding.

Felina shook her head as she walked up to her uncle and pulled him off to the side. "I know we're lacking facts Sir, but we're going to have to come up with something…Callie's in there."

Feral nodded. "Yes I know. But I can't fire anything at the building or the Mayor will have a stroke." He hissed as he shot Manx a quick death glare.

Felina shrugged. "You've never let that stop you before."

Feral gave her a knowing look. "No, your not going in by yourself." He growled.

Felina gave her uncle a secretive smile. "I know that uncle. That's why I'm waiting for them to get here."

"Them!" Feral growled, with his eyebrow raised in question. The sound of an approaching jet made everyone present look up into the sky with a familiar anticipation on their faces….well, all but Feral who was sneering in contempt. "Swat Kats." He growled under his breath as the TurboKat came into view. The gathering crowd let out a collective cheer as the TurboKat touched down in the front courtyard of the tower. Felina ran up to the TurboKat just as the canopy slid back, allowing T-Bone and Razor to jump out.

"Swat Kats!" Manx cried out happily as he ran towards them, his arms waving back and forth above his head excitedly.

"Wow, he hasn't passed out from cardiac arrest yet?" T-Bone smiled at Felina as they watched the mayor run up to them.

"He was just about to before you guys got here." She replied in a serious tone.

"I'm not surprised." Razor whispered quickly before Manx reached them completely out of breath.

"Swat Kats!" he wheezed as he motioned in big, rapid swoops of his paws towards the monstrous building. "My towa! You must get Vipah and his foul creatures out of it before Mr. Young comes back!"

"Don't worry Mayor; we'll take care of him." Razor assured him.

Manx nodded appreciatively. "Yes Yes, I shall arrange a parade in your honah if you succeed. But puhleez, I beg you, I want it back in one piece." He emphasized with his expression that of a pained pout.

"Yes sir. We'll refrain from the usage of any loud, big, fiery, disastrous manner of explosives." T-Bone grinned, his tone solemn.

"Somehow, I find that hard to believe." Feral growled as he walked up to them.

Manx ignored the Commander, his attention fully focused on the Swat Kats. "Very good, now off you go! I want to send in a cleaning crew in before nightfall." He then turned and walked off, his paws resting confidently on the collar of his emerald coat jacket as he walked up towards the on looking crowd and eager Ann Gora.

"Well, you heard him Razor; let's go so he can get his cleaning crew in there A.S.A.P." T-Bone chuckled.

"I'm going with you." Felina informed them, her tone offering no room for argument.

"Felina!" Feral protested. "I will not let you go with these two by yourselves!"

"Who are you going send in with me? The whole squadron?"

Feral gave her a disappointed look. "No. I'll accompany you. I don't trust you with these two vigilantes."

"Oh come on." T-Bone growled impatiently as Feral gave his instructions to the enforcer he was leaving in charge.

"Guys, we'd better get a move on or Callie's going to kill me…if she isn't planning to already." Razor whispered so that Felina and T-Bone could only hear.

Felina and T-Bone both snickered to themselves as Feral returned to the group. "Alright. I'll lead the way!"

"Be my guest." T-Bone snorted. "Hopefully, one of snake tail's kat eating plants will nab him first." He muttered under his breath, only making Felina jab him in the side with her elbow as she shot him a warning glare.

"And there goes Commander Feral, Lieutenant Feral and the Swat Kats into the MegaKat Tower, their mission to save captive Deputy Mayor Calico Briggs from Viper and to send Viper back to his awaiting cell in Alkatraz. This is Ann Gora, reporting to you live at the MegaKat Tower courtyard, awaiting the resolution to this worrisome event. Stay tuned."

"And you're off." Johnny informed Ann, allowing her to relax and lower the microphone from her face. "Keep your camera focused on the top of that building Johnny." Ann ordered, her voice full of excitement. "We don't want to miss anything!"


	3. Not my new Gucci shoes!

Hey everyone! Here's chapter 3! HEHE thanx Tiger and Smee for clearing up what episode Destructive Nature was…..all I could remember was that they both involved the MegaKat Tower in both of those villains schemes. LOL isn't that sad or what?

Thanx everyone for the reviews! I'm glad that you've enjoyed it so far. I hope this chapter is just as good. :D Happy reading!

Etherweil

Chapter 3

"I wonder why Viper only took control of the top of the building…he'd have a better chance at fending us off if he had control of the bottom floors." Felina mused as they quickly jogged up the stairwell to reach the floor that Callie's signal was coming from.

"I'm sure he has his twisted reasons." T-Bone growled, still a little disturbed that the building appeared to be deprived of the mad scientists presence.

"We're almost there." Razor informed them as he raced on ahead of them.

"How many stories do we have to go?" Feral demanded, trying not wheeze from the unexpected workout.

"2." Came answered briskly.

"Dang!" T-Bone huffed as he stopped momentarily to catch his breath while he let Felina move ahead of him. "We climbed 18 stories that fast?"

"Is someone getting tired?" Felina teased as she stopped and looked back at T-Bone smiling.

"Huh no! I was just stopping to make sure your holding up okay." He breathed as he walked up a couple of steps to where she was.

"Awww that's so sweet of you." Felina admonished, playing along.

T-Bone shrugged as he and Felina picked up the pace to catch up with Razor and Feral. "I know. Don't tell anybody though."

"Here's floor 20." Razor announced as he waited for everyone to catch up to him.

"Your determination to save Miss Briggs is inspiring." Feral wheezed, trying to be as sarcastic as possible as he fought to regain his breath.

"I think you could classify his motivation as his determination to live to see tomorrow." T-Bone corrected as he and Felina walked up behind them.

Razor ignored them as he looked down at the tracking device on his glovatrix. "From this point it says she's right around the corner." He informed them.

T-Bone tilted his head to the side in confusion as he looked down at the stationary blinking red dot on the tiny screen. "She's just standing there?" They all looked at each other doubtfully.

Feral and Felina took out their blasters from their holsters while the Swat Kats readied their glovatrixes. After receiving a nod from his three companions, Razor kicked the door open with a tremendous force and jumped out expecting to have Viper's little green minions charge him. They were greeted with an empty hallway that was unnervingly silent.

"Okay." T-bone muttered as he lowered his glovatrix.

"Look at all of the papers on the floor." Felina pointed out a trail of paperwork that came from the far end of the office area, directing them to the sharp corner where Callie's signal was supposedly coming from.

Razor bent down and picked one of the papers and glanced at it. "This is Callie's handwriting." He stated aloud as he dropped the paper and started to run alongside the paper trail. Feral, Felina, and T-Bone quickly ran after him, and once they turned the corner they found Razor kneeling down by a discarded messenger bag and purse. Razor grabbed the purse, quickly rummaged through it and pulled out a flashing communicator.

"Great." T-Bone spoke for everyone as Razor slowly stood up, still holding onto the communicator.

"How are we going to find her now?" Felina moaned.

Suddenly, the venalation shaft above them vibrated as something banged along through it. Razor and T-Bone glanced quickly at each other and then started to walk over to where the screen cover was as Felina and Feral readied their blasters. As they stood a few feet back from the shaft cover, the rumbling grew louder and was accompanied by incoherent muttering.

"Do you think its…" Felina started to whisper but Razor held his paw up for silence as he peered up into the grated screen. "Callie?" he called softly.

The rumbling and muttering immediately stopped. "Razor?" a surprised voice replied.

"Where are you?" T-Bone called out.

"Where do you think I am? I'm in this stupid venalation shaft!" Callie's muffled voiced cried out incrediously.

T-Bone rolled his eyes. "I knew that." He muttered.

Suddenly, the shaft started to shake above their heads as she started to move again.

Razor shook his head. "I can't tell which shaft she's going to come out of, this thing is moving too much."

"I'll go cover the other one." Felina stated as she and her uncle turned and started to walk down to the other shaft coverings.

Then before any of them could do anything, they heard Callie let out a startled shriek as she came crashing out of the shaft a couple of feet away from where Razor and T-Bone were standing. She landed flat on her back and a cloud of thick dust burst into the air in a mini cloud that surrounded her.

"Crud!" Razor growled as he and T-Bone rushed over to her. "Are you okay?" Razor asked as he picked her up. Callie shook her head as she coughed. "No! I'm not okay!" she stammered furiously as her cobweb covered hair hung down around her dust covered face. "Do you have any idea how long I've been stuck in that shaft?" She wheezed as she fought to keep her balance on her shaking legs. Razor gave her a guilty smile as he looked at her disheveled appearance. Her hair was down and sticking up with countless cobwebs meshed into it, her glasses were cracked and tilted at a sharp acute angle on her wrinkled nose; and her tousled and savagely torn dress suit was no longer a bright color of magenta. A ragged tear ran up the side of her skirt, showing off a good portion of her raw, scratched left leg. And to further enhance her outraged appearance, she was still clutching in her shaking paws her dirty Gucci shoes. "Do you have any idea how many laps I ran on this stupid floor as I was being chased by a horde of stinking, mutated cabbages?" she growled, as she glared up at Razor and T-Bone through bloodshot eyes.

Razor laughed uncomfortably. "You look great though despite what you've been through." He lied.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" she screeched, making both Swat Kats wince.

A short distance off, they all could hear the collective shrieks of Vipers minions who were still running laps, still thinking that they were in pursuit of Callie.

"Speaking of the devils…" Callie hissed.

Razor quickly picked up Callie and through her over his shoulder. "Time to leave now!" he cried as he rushed pass Feral and Felina in the direction of the stair well. Felina and Feral were not far behind the Swat Kats as they raced back to their point of entry. T-Bone opened the door to the stairwell and ushered them all in and then rushed in himself and quickly shut the door. Razor promptly set down Callie and they all leaned an ear against the side of the door and listened to the screeching mob rush obliviously past the door.

As soon as it grew quiet again T-Bone started to chuckle. "You've got to admit that's funny." He grinned, shaking his head.

In response, Callie let out a savage sneeze and another cloud of dust and cobwebs shot out into the air. Razor chuckled as he patted her on the back. "Feel better?"

"Yes actually." Callie daintily sniffed as she took off her glasses and examined them.

"Now that we've retrieved Miss. Briggs, we should go take care of Viper." Feral suggested with an authoritive tone.

Callie let out another deafening sneeze that echoed throughout the stairwell "He's on the 30th floor in the penthouse." She groaned as she rubbed her face. "He has another massive green spore thing growing in there like last time."

"Ahhh isn't that just wonderful." T-Bone snarled sardonically.

"Well, that's where we have to go." Felina sighed.

"I'll have a tactical team meet you halfway in the stairwell Miss. Briggs." Feral informed her as he grabbed his radio from his belt.

"No! I'm staying here with you guys." she replied defiantly as she pressed her lips into a thin line.

"Callie, it would be better if you…" Razor began, but was silenced by a challenging glare from the stubborn politician. "Okay fine." He growled, returning her glare.

Callie smiled smugly as she quickly put her shoes back on, brushed the hair back from her face, and then accepted the extra blaster Felina handed her.

"Let's go; I have a score to settle with Dr. Longsnout." She growled as she started to stomp up the stairs.

Viper chuckled gleefully as he rubbed his scalely green hands together. "It won't be long now my precccciioouussss. MegaKat cccity will ssssooonnn be covered with your ssssporesssss that will enssssure my victory!"

The mad scientist then threw back his head and cackled menacingly, but he was rudely interrupted as one of his basketball sized minions burst into the room, babbling and snorting in some language that only Viper could understand. Viper's eyes narrowed into slits as he slowly slithered up to the jumping, screeching plant.

"What do you mean you losssssst her?" he snarled. He snatched up the protesting cabbage into his menacing claws, making it shriek out in terror and pain.

"You ssstuuupid ssshrub!" he snarled as he threw it across the room so that it splattered on the wall.

"Where could sssshe be?" he hissed aloud.

"I'm right here swamp breathe!" Viper immediately turned around to see Callie, the Swat Kats, Felina and Feral standing in the doorway with their weapons aimed directly at him.

Viper chuckled quietly. "Sssssssssssssoo, you've finally deccccided to join me." He cooed. "Didn't your parentsssss teach you that itssssss ruuude to keep your hosssst waiting?"

"You're under arrest Viper! It's back to your cell for you!" Feral growled, only making Viper laugh even more.

"I don't think ssssssooo Commander!" Viper replied slyly. "Get them my prettiessss!" A buzzing swarm of huge wasps and dragonflies emerged from the metal beams high up in the penthouse and shot down towards the group.

"Awww man! Not bugs again!" T-Bone wailed as he fired a baby matchhead missile at a wasp.

"T-Bone, don't forget about the flame thrower!" Razor yelled as he took aim at a dragonfly that was bearing down on him. When the dragonfly was a couple of feet away from him Razor pressed a button on the top of his glovatrix and a fire ball the size of a softball screamed through the air and hit the giant bug, making it screech as it burst into flame. Razor gave Viper a sly grin as the crispy dragonfly fell to the ground in a sizzling black heap.

"Sweet!" T-Bone cried excitedly as he unleashed the new weapon upon the hapless insects.

Viper wailed in anger as he watched his beloved insect guards get massacred. "Cursssse you Sssssswat Katsssss!"

As T-Bone, Razor, Callie and Felina shot down the persistent insects, Feral reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a large needle filled with a bubbly purple liquid.

"What is that?" Razor asked as he watched Feral take off the plastic cover for the needle.

"Its an antibacterial that will neutralize and kill the spores inside that thing, Dr. Konway gave it to us just in case." Felina answered for her uncle so that Feral wouldn't have to yell it.

"Cover me." Feral commanded as he snuck off towards the giant growth. Felina and Razor followed the commander while T-Bone and Callie stayed to distract the insects.

"I don't think ssssssssooooooo!" Viper snarled as he watched Feral sneak up towards his creation. Viper lashed out his tail and it snapped across Feral's outstretched paw, sending the needle flying back up through the air towards where T-Bone and Callie where.

"Get the needle!" Razor yelled as he took aim at Viper and unleashed the full fury of his flamethrower, making Viper screech as his lab coat burst into flame.

T-Bone looked over and saw the needle hurtling towards the ground. Not even thinking twice, he launched himself through the air with his paws outstretched. Callie shot a dragonfly that was heading for T-Bone dead on, making it reel back and crash into the ground. T-Bone caught the needle in his paws and he slid towards the pore sac on his stomach.

"Commander! Catch!" he yelled as he tossed the needle towards Feral's outstretched paw. Feral caught it with ease and then ran for the growth, dodging dead insects that were falling to the ground in flames. He reached the growth and jabbed the needle in with no hesitation, and the antibacterial was ejected into the pulsing growth.

"Nnnnnnnnnnoooooooooooooo! My precccccccciiiiiooooosssssssssss!" Viper shrieked miserably. He lashed out his tail at Callie and hoisted her up into the air by her waist. "You'll pay for that Sssssswat Katsssss with all of your livvvesssss." He snarled maliciously.

"I'd like to see that!" Callie growled as she aimed her blaster right at his tail and fired.

Viper screeched in pain as he flung Callie right into Feral, Felina and Razor. "You fools! It seems as if your antibacterial didn't work! The time hasssss come for me to become ruler of MegaKat cccity!" The pulsing growth had grown larger and had started to shudder violently. A loud, sharp hissing came from it which drowned out Viper's crazy laughter.

"Awww crud." T-Bone moaned as they all looked at the growth with wide eyes. At that exact moment, the growth ripped itself apart in a massive explosion and the room was blanketed with tons of putrid smelling green slime.

The room was silent as everyone tried to comprehend that it was indeed slime that was covering them from head to toe. Viper's expression was one of complete and utter shock as he looked around the room then down at himself. "NNNNOOO THAT WASSSSSSSN'T SSSSSSUPPOSSSSSSED TO HAPPEN!" he screamed at the top of his lungs as he starting to throw a tantrum, sending even more slime flying through the air. "Cursssse you Sssssswat Katsssss, Cursssse you all!"

Razor rolled his eyes as he cautiously stood up and aimed his glovatrix at Viper. "Get over it." He growled as he fired a net that wrapped itself firmly around the scientist, binding him so that he fell face first into a pile of slime.

Razor's arm fell limp at his side as he watched Viper curse and sputter in the slime covered floor.

"Oh…my…god." Callie stuttered blandly as she slowly got to her feet, watching in horror as strings of slime trailed from her hair and fingers onto the floor.

The look on Feral's face could instantly freeze a body of water as he spat out a bunch of slim from his mouth. "Remind me Felina, to have a little chat with Dr. Konway before I pummel him."

"Will do uncle, as long as I can help you with the pummeling part."

T-Bone's face was twisted up in revolted scowl as he shook his arms which sent the slime splattering onto the floor in massive blobs. After pausing for a moment, a sly grin replaced his scowl and he violently shook his body from head to toe like a wet dog.

"T-Bone!" Razor, Callie, and Felina shrieked in unison as they held up their arms to cover their faces.

The smell of the slime and of the still burning bugs made the air almost unbearable to breathe and so Feral walked over to the window, slammed it open, and stuck his head out.

Unfortunately, not only was the foul black smoke from the burnt bug carcasses excruciating for a kat's keen nose; it was also apparently thick and plentiful enough to set off the fire alarm which, in turn, turned on all of the sprinklers.

The outraged cries and howls from the four kats on the 30th floor could be clearly heard by the enforcer squadron that Feral ordered to come up from his radio; and, much to Mayor Manx's distress, he was informed by the repulsed cleaning crew that the whole penthouse would have to be completely gutted out, sprayed down, and replaced with new furniture and flooring in order for the smell to go away.

Needless to say, the news report that night was going to be unforgettable…..


	4. Dark Sides Revealed

**Hey Everybody! Here's chapter 4. Thank you for the reviews so far:D**

**I'm sorry that this chapter is a little bit on the short side but I promise I'll make it up to you by making chapter 5 longer. I hope I have Dark Callie, Dark Chance, and Dark Jake in character. This is my first time portraying them. I'm sorry if you come across any confusion regarding the different dimensions, feel free to PM me about anything and if you have any suggestions about how I can make anything clearer I'd appreciate hearing from you. The last thing I want is confusion. :D Until chapter 5!**

**Happy Reading!**

**Etherweil**

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Chapter 4

Later that evening…

"Chance Furlong! You'd better turn off that TV RIGHT NOW!" Felina growled after she saw that Chance was watching the evening news.

Chance smiled mischievously as he settled even further into the couch and clutched the remote even tighter in his paw. "Why should I? It's my TV anyway." He returned challengingly.

Felina slammed the popcorn bowl roughly on the table and stomped over to the side of the couch with a daring, impatient expression. She pursed her lips together and slowly put her paws on her hips and shifted all of her weight on her right leg. "You're going to turn off that TV because you value your life. Besides, it's Jake's TV too and I'll guarantee that he'll side with me."

"Oh really?" Chance grinned as he slowly got up to his feet and folded his arms across his chest. "Hey Jake! Guess what's on the news RRRIIIGGGHHTT NOOOOW."

"Is it from earlier today?" Jake asked in an excited tone as he emerged from the kitchen with a package of game cards in his paw.

"Yes." Felina growled. "That is why I want the TV turned off now."

"I agree with Felina on this." A voice cried out from within the kitchen, and seconds later Callie walked out of the kitchen with a glass of cold milk in her paw. "I don't want to watch the most humiliating moment in my life being aired on TV."

"Awww come on Cal." Jake smiled. "It wasn't that bad."

Both Callie and Felina gave him an incredulous look. "Not that bad? Do you know many showers I took just to get that goo off of me? I had to use a whole bag of lemons just to smell better! That's how bad it was." Callie reminded them both as Felina nodded in agreement.

"So? I used a whole bottle of body wash. Big deal, Chance and I watch ourselves on TV all the time and we get a kick out of it. You gotta learn to laugh at yourself." Jake returned teasingly.

"What if we don't want to laugh at ourselves?" Felina asked.

Chance grinned. "Too bad, your gonna watch it anyway cuz there is no way your getting the remote from me."

Felina and Callie look at each other with devious smirks on their faces. "Okay, if that's how you're going to make it..." Felina purred as she took a step towards Chance.

"You want this?" Chance teased as he waved the remote tauntingly. Felina launched herself at him, but Chance held the remote high over his head.

"Oh you can't reach it." He laughed as Felina tried to grasp it as she jumped up and down. Callie leaped over the back of the couch and jumped on Chance's back, making him stumble backwards at the unexpected blow. She wrapped one arm around his neck and tried reaching the remote with her free paw.

"Jake, a little help here!" Chance laughed.

"Throw it to me!" Jake instructed as he stood at the other end of the couch with his paw outstretched.

"Oh no you don't!" Felina growled playfully as she ran after Jake who had caught the remote easily. Jake jumped over the table and landed on the other side without disturbing the popcorn and drinks, making the table separate him from Felina.

"Lookie what I got." He teased as he and Felina swayed back and forth, trying to guess what direction each one was going to take. Jake made a quick dash for the left and was barely missed by Felina's outstretched fingertips; however, he didn't see Callie come flying through the air on his side. Callie tackled him to the ground, yet Jake managed to toss the remote to Chance who was standing open by the front of the couch. Chance immediately turned towards the TV and quickly turned up the volume. "Ah, here's the debut of Miss Gucci Shoes, Miss Congeniality and Mr. Personality themselves!"

"Chance!" Felina screeched as she threw herself at the tiger striped tom, who only laughed at her attempt to knock him over.

"Jake you brat!" Callie tried scolding Jake as she gave him a playful shrove that made him tip over the back of the couch and fall onto the floor. Chance, not knowing that Jake was there, tripped on Jake and fell back with Felina still clinging onto his back.

They all burst out laughing as Callie ran around and snatched the remote from Chance's paw.

"Callie give it up!" Jake laughed as he pulled himself up from the floor and leaned his back against the foot of the couch next to Chance and Felina. Callie sighed as she tossed the remote on the coffee table and slid down to the floor next to Jake.

The four of them started to laugh anew as they started to comment on each other's disheveled appearance.

"Oh my god I looked like I just had a psychological breakdown." Callie moaned between spurts of laughter.

"Well, I think we'd all look like that after loosing a J. Crew dress suit and a pair of Gucci shoes." Chance teased.

"Well, at least it doesn't look like I had shrunk a couple of sizes." Callie shot back challenging.

"Oooooooooooohhhhhh nice." Felina giggled as she gave Callie a high-five over Jake's head, who was laughing so hard that his eyes were tearing.

"Teeehhheeeehheeee!" Chance mocked in a high pitched giggle.

"Guys, no matter how we look at it, we all look really pathetic." Jake gasped.

"Yeah, we three look pathetic. However, you Jake, look like a drowned sewer rat that just crawled out of the sewer." Chance grinned.

This made everyone laugh even harder. "Yeah, Chance, I for one know that you've always been jealous of my good looks." Jake stated in a matter-of-fact tone once he was able to gain his breath.

"Hhhhmmpph. You wish."

The TV screen switched its attention to the perky face of Ann Gora and to the smug, bored face of Mayor Manx who was now being questioned about what was to be done with the MegaKat Tower.

"Okay, this is boring. Let's go play cards now." Felina sighed as she stood up.

"I second that motion." Callie stated as she jumped up and held out her paw for Jake take hold of.

Chance then found himself sitting on the floor by himself. "Gee, I feel special." He mumbled as he stretched his paw towards the TV and pressed the 'OFF' button.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Meanwhile….In a similiar dimension...

At MegaKat City Penitentiary…Maximum Security Wing

The hall was bathed in pale strips of moonlight that had managed to seep through the gaps between the steel bars lining the small windows. At the very end of the dark hallway was a solitary cell that held the most treacherous she kat to ever hold a high political position in the government.

Its occupant's bright; emerald green eyes glowed fiercely in the darkness as she sat with her back against the cold stone wall. She was watching, with keen yet suspicious interest, a small figure walk noiselessly down the hall towards her. The figures cloak billowed and flowed behind him, gliding through the air with a silent grace, and as he made his way past the cells, not once did he betray his unnoticed presence. Only the occasional snore of some sleeping prisoner broke the heavy silence.

The owner of the watchful eyes didn't stir as she watched the small figure's bony, rust colored paw silently open the barred door of her cell. He stepped in with an authoritive flourish of his royal purple cloak and stood before her with his one good golden eye glistening in her direction.

A small, almost inconspicuous smile crept across the female prisoner's rosy lips which immediately lit up her beautiful features.

"Something tells me your not here to ask me on a date." She purred quietly as she stretched out her legs and stood up from her cot.

"I assure you my dear, what I have in mind is far more tempting an offer than that." The small figure grinned while holding out his skeletal paw for her to take.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

1 hour later Megakat Salvage yard…

An old, weather worn 'Keep Out' sign groaned as the cold night breeze swung its bent body to and fro against the barbed wire fence. The yard was poorly lit by nearly burnt out and flickering lamp posts placed throughout the grounds. The rich marigold light from the lamps lit up the massive mountains of jagged, rusted steel slabs, casting eerie shadows upon the grounds of the City's salvage dump, making the area all the more cold and unwelcoming.

The garage and apartment in the middle of the yard was extremely run down and at first glance appeared to be vacant, however, the faint glow of a television was reflecting flashes of light against the dirty surface of the living room window.

Inside, the condition of the living quarters was even worse than the outside. The carpet was proof that the inhabitants possessed no vacuum or broom, and the walls were stained with all kinds of hardened liquid matter. The couch matched the overall filth of the house and sat sagging and broken in the middle of the garbage littered living room. As the old television displayed some old rerun of some cartoon, the faint sound of a screaming kat coming from the blown speakers of the TV were momentarily drowned out by a harsh snore that came from the sleeping tom of considerable size lying on the couch.

A sharp, persistent knock rattled the front door of the apartment area, making the snoring tom twitch fitfully, yet it wasn't enough to wake him up. The knocks then turned into a loud pounding that made the door screech in protest against its worn, rust eaten hinges.

The tom's bloodshot eyes, which at one time used to be a brilliant shade of deep emerald, slowly opened and darkened in irritation. The tom scowled as he sat up and slowly got to his unsteady feet and started to stumble towards the door while kicking aside empty beer and milk cans. The door was still being pounded on as he grabbed the door handle and viciously pulled it open. The angered expression on the tom's face was harsh enough to make any other kat quake in fear, but it had the complete opposite to the late night visitor. The hung over tom found himself glaring into the equally fearsome face of Calico Briggs.

"Took you long enough to answer the door." She hissed irritably.

"What are yew doin ere? Aren't yew supposed to be in prison?" The tom slurred as he leaned against the door frame.

"Wow, we have a bright one here." Callie snarled as she put her paw on his face and pushed him out of the way.

"So are you going to come in or not?" she shot back to the Pastmaster who had been standing behind her.

The Pastmaster scowled to himself as he walked in after her, and past the tom who was still trying to get up off of his tail.

"Ugh what a pigsty." Callie growled in disgust as she snapped on the living room light and looked around the sad excuse of a house.

"Turn that off!" the tiger striped tom hissed as he shielded his sensitive eyes from the harsh light.

"Deal with it Furlong." Callie hissed while her green eyes fiercely ablaze.

Chance Furlong stood up to his full height and pulled his muscular shoulders back, his mouth curled in a vicious sneer. "What are you doin 'ere?" he repeated demandingly.

Callie returned his challenging stare. "I, along with the Pastmaster, have come to make a deal with you."

Chance's eyes darted from the Pastmaster back to Callie and a sarcastic leer appeared on his face. "Pastmaster huh?" he snorted. "What makes you think I'm interested in any of you and the pigmy's schemes?"

Callie smiled deviously as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Remember your two buddies that blew up your beloved jet?"

In just a matter of a few seconds, Jake was rudely awakened from his sleep to find himself flying through the air and becoming newly acquainted with his bedroom floor along with his mattress being slammed into the back of him, pinning him to the floor.

Chance stood there with a malicious grin on his face as he watched Jake kick the mattress and jump to his feet defensively. "What the hell!" the brown kat spat furiously with his paws balled into fist.

"Don't get your tail in a knot Scuzball, if I have to be up then you have to be up." Chance sneered.

Jake's tail lashed from side to side as he bent his knees slightly, preparing to launch himself at the huge tom. "You're going to pay for that you great lummox."

"Not tonight he isn't!" they both heard a voice snap impatiently by the door. Jake, taken by surprise, watched as Callie walked into the room with the Pastmaster. "As of here and now, I need both of you to give me your undivided attention if we want everything to go according to plan."

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Side Note:

Regarding the Pastmaster...In my minds eye and from what I've seen in 'The Dark Side Of The Swat Kats', I don't think the Dark Swat Kats have come into contact with the Pastmaster...or Megakat City in the the 'Dark' dimension would be taken over by the reoccured Dark Ages since the Dark Sk's dont fight for the good of others nor can they seem to agree, nevertheless, get along for any period of time. Thus, explaining why the Dark, hung over Chance wasnt at all familiar with the Pastmaster. :D


	5. Looking Through The Looking Glass

**Hey guys! Sorry its taken me so long to write this. I had to do a lot of research on alternate dimensions and the symbolism of mirrors. I had to condense a lot of it so this chapter wouldn't sound like some sci fi thesis paper. LOL. I would also like to thank LondonUnited, TigerKat, Ladyisme and my other fellows on the SK forum. Their opinions and insight on this topic was really helpful and encouraging. Thanx guys:D **

**Chapter 6 is currently planned out and is now under construction. Hopefully I'll have it posted soon. Since school is starting for me Tuesday, it might be a week or so. But since it's my senior year, hopefully my four classes and my work schedule won't take up too much of my writing time. Anyways. I hope you like this chapter. I'm apologize if it's a little melancholy. Reviews are extremely appreciated and anticipated! LOL :D**

**Happy Reading!**

**Etherweil**

Chapter 5

"Thanks for inviting me over Chance, I had a blast." Felina smiled as she walked with Chance out to her car.

Chance returned her smile as he looked over at her. "I'm glad that you came."

"What's the name of that card game again?" Felina asked as she opened her car door and threw her jacket inside. She then turned around to face Chance while leaning against the frame of her car and resting her right arm over the door.

"Phase 10." He grinned. "I was really surprised that you caught on to it so fast. Its kind of a complicated game until you've played it a couple of times."

Felina laughed lightly while she shrugged carelessly. "My uncle and I play cards a lot. I'm used to learning new games fast so that I can beat him."

Chance laughed. "Aaaahhhaaaa. That explains a lot. But it doesn't explain why you and Callie ganged up on me and skipped me whenever you got a skip card. Jake was the one who was constantly getting good hands and going out before anyone else could."

"Oh poor baby. We'll get Jake next time." Felina cooed in mock sympathy.

"You'd better." Chance pretended to pout, making Felina laugh more.

"Well I'd better get home." Felina sighed as she dragged her hand along the top of her car door.

"Okay." Chance spoke softly as he gazed at her with a smile on his face. They gazed at each other for a moment before he slowly brought his face down towards hers. Felina's smile grew bigger as she placed a paw gently on his cheek and met his lips with hers. As the seconds passed by, his arms slid slowly down from her shoulders to her lower back, pulling her closer to him as she wrapped both her arms around his neck and returned his kiss. After a minute had passed they slowly pulled away from each other, both with smiles on their faces.

"Goodnight." Felina whispered in his ear as he pulled her into a warm embrace. "Goodnight." He returned as he let go of her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. She bit her bottom lip shyly as she got in her car, allowing him to shut the car door for her.

Chance stood there and watched her drive off before turning back towards the garage with a huge grin on his face. "Man oh man." He sighed to himself as he started to walk back to the house with a merry jaunt in his step as he hummed an upbeat tune he didn't even know the words to.

Meanwhile...

Out on the road outside the salvage yards wire fence stood a figure beside his car. He watched Felina drive off through a pair of binoculars before turning his gaze on Chance was walking towards the garage/house. The figures bright golden eyes were teeming with mixed emotions as he slowly lowered the binoculars, his jaw set firm and resolute.

He had been afraid that something like this was going to happen eventually. It had been inevitable. He shook his head as he leaned against his car, slouching in defeat. "What do I do now?" he asked himself as he stared down at his feet, his grip was so tight that his knuckles were white. The only answer he received was the cold whisper of the night breeze.

Meanwhile, In another dimension...

The lights abruptly snapped on, revealing an almost completed TurboKat, partially built missiles, weapons, and a dirty hangar that was perhaps even filthier than upstairs.

Callie wrinkled her nose in disgust as she followed the two grumpy mechanics down the ladder. "You've done wonders with this place." She remarked sarcastically as she stood by the ladder with her paws on her hips.

"Shut up." Chance snarled as he pushed some trash off of a chair and sat down. Jake was leaning against his worktable across from Chance with his arms crossed over his chest. He glanced over at Callie suspiciously as the Pastmaster stepped off the last rung of the ladder and stood beside her. "Yes." The tiny sorcerer grinned impishly as he stepped off the concrete platform by the ladder and stood in the space between the two mechanics. "Yes, this will most certainly do."

Jake's mouth curled up into a distrusting sneer. "You said you were going to tell us what was going on?"

Callie smirked as she stepped down from the platform as well. "Patience Jake. The Pastmaster will explain everything to you."

Jake snorted disbelievingly. "Or he'll tell us only what he wants us to know."

The Pastmaster snapped his head in Jake's direction and his one good eye bore into the unflinching mechanic, who, in return, was glaring back. A smile played at the corner of the sorcerer's mouth and he started to chuckle quietly. "You're a smart kat. A fearless one at that." The Pastmaster turned his whole body to face Jake. "Are you familiar with the concept of the 'Parallel Universes'?" he queried.

"I've heard of it." Jake replied bluntly.

"Have you?" the Pastmaster turned his attention over to Chance. The big, tiger striped tom snorted. "Yeah, it's a bunch of bogus science fiction crud."

The Pastmaster sniffed as if offended by Chance's comment. "I assure you mortal, Parallel Universes are a reality. How do you think those other Swat Kats got here?"

"Simple. They where two Swat Kat wannabe's that decided to make a fool out of us." Chance shot back stubbornly.

"And they so happened to look like you and knew things that only you two would know?" Callie returned challengingly, smirking at the stumped look on Chance's face.

The Pastmaster held up a paw for silence, and the three kats amazingly complied.

"Once you have an idea of what an 'parallel universe' or alternate dimension is, you will know how the other Swat Kats managed to get here, never the less exist in the like manner of your lives. However, I cannot explain this to you all unless you prepare yourself to sit quietly and listen."

He waited until he got a complying nod from the three of them before he spoke again. "A parallel universe or alternate reality is an independent reality that coexists with your own reality; a variant of the world you know, as it where. These self-contained universes all originate with one universe, and when an event occurs that can have several outcomes depending on the decision made, they branch off, following those different decisions and the consequences of those decisions change the history of that original universe. Every possibility for every event will bring forth another universe or dimension."

"So these two 'Swat Kats' are from a different dimension that is in existence because they did something different than what we did in the past." Chance summed it up in his own words as he gave Jake a skeptical look. "That just doesn't seem possible. That would mean that there are a bunch of us in different dimensions who so happened to go about life differently."

"Sometimes the truth can be overwhelming. But I assure you, I am not lying." The Pastmaster coldly assured him.

"Do you know how they got into this dimension then?" Callie asked, her curiosity along with Jake's and Chance's was peaked to an all time high.

The Pastmaster rubbed the thin orange fur on his chin with a bony claw. "From what I could gather, they were testing a dimensional radar when their jet was struck with lightning and they were transported through that radar into this dimension. Just goes to show that there are many unknown methods of time travel."

"The dimensional radar huh?" Jake mused as he eyed a piece of unfinished equipment on the worktable across from him. "I haven't been able to finish ours." He muttered to himself.

"How are you planning on getting us into their dimension?" Chance asked with a bored tone. He didn't want to admit that he found this new information interesting.

The Pastmaster smirked at the tabby's question. "Get me a mirror and I shall show you."

"A mirror?" Chance sneered incrediously.

"Just get him the mirror numbskull." Jake snapped, thoroughly irritated with Chance's doubt.

"Watch it Scuzball." Chance growled in return as he stomped over to their beat up lockers and picked up a dirty mirror that was leaning up against the wall. He brought it over and put it on the workbench, leaning it against a greasy toolbox so that it was standing up for them to see into.

The Pastmaster walked up to it and pulled out a golden pocket watch from the crimson folds of his cloak. He grasped it tightly in his paw and raised it up so that it was directly in front of the mirror. The watch began to glow as the seconds passed and the surface of the mirror seemed to melt into a hoary pool of thick liquid. Chance, Jake and Callie watched in silent astonishment as the flowy surface of the mirror began to churn as if it had been disturbed by a strong breeze. The silver surface became alive with incoherent hues of color which slowly turned into a clear image of a hangar; the exact replica of their own hangar. However, the hangar they were looking upon was amazingly clean and organized; hardly a piece of equipment was out of its place. A newly painted TurboKat sat on its cooling pad with its bombay doors open as it was being reloaded by its creators.

"This is crazy." Chance muttered as he watched 'himself' gently place a slicer missile in its slot.

The Pastmaster grinned wickedly at their reactions. "Mirrors are exceedingly diverse in their uses, and when properly 'turned on' they can become time portals. Right now, I am using this mirror to look on upon your alternate beings through the mirror they have hanging up in their hangar." The Pastmaster momentarily looked back at Jake with a knowing sneer on his taunt face. "In fact, mirrors and parallel universes are closely knitted together in a complex web. Once you know of the makeup of this web and what keeps it balanced and what can disturb it, the mysteries of the universe will have their answers."

He turned his attention back to the mirror as they continued to watch their alternate beings continue their work. Jake shook his head in continual disbelief as his alternate self started to speak, and they all listened intently to hear what was being said.

"Of course Callie doesn't know how to drive a manual, she's accustomed to driving her Park Avenue." Chance laughed in response of Jake's comment.

Jake nodded. "I know, that's why I'm going to take her on a drive in the Laser. Everyone should know how to drive a manual, its practical knowledge."

Chance continued to chuckle as he continued to load up the missiles that Jake was handing him. "That's gonna be one memorable experience, if not a frightening one. But I guess it's a good thing to have your appreciation of life renewed every once in a while."

"Ha ha. If I can handle flying with you I think I'm qualified to handle anything." Jake smirked.

Chance jumped out of the Turbokat and got out of the way of the closing doors. "Touché my witty friend." They both stood there momentarily in their own thoughts. Although the silence was broken by the soft snickers of the big tabby who was shaking his head while he tried to control his laughter.

"What is so funny?" Jake asked as he eyed his friend suspiciously.

"Driving lessons? I know you have something more planned than just driving lessons you mischievous little imp you." Chance snickered while giving Jake a playful smirk.

Jake's eyes grew wide in surprise at Chance's accusations as he fought to keep his face from turning red. "You have a disturbing, dirty mind. I was planning no such thing."

"Ahuh, sure. Sorry, I forgot. There is a fine line between planning and hoping." Chance teased, giving Jake a playful nudge.

Jake's expression became devious as he looked over at his friend. "Look who's talking Romeo. I'm sure that you giving Felina lessons in the flight simulator is nothing but a generous outpour of your talent to a fellow pilot."

It was now Chance's turn to fight the urge to blush. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Jake burst out laughing. "Aha! You're pulling a Jake! You have been caught red faced! Guilty as charged!"

"You know what…" Chance growled as he managed to jump at Jake and to get his friend in a head lock. "You've been aching for your noogie treatment. You're just getting too smart for your britches."

"Ack!" Jake struggled to free himself from Chance's powerful grip. "Okay Okay! You can stop now!"

"Does the flesh burn?" Chance teased as he rubbed his knuckles faster and harder into his friends head.

The four undetected onlookers watched Jake flip Chance over his head onto the floor.

"Alright! That's it!" Jake laughed as he body slammed Chance.

The Pastmaster looked back to a misty eyed Jake and Chance as they watched their alternate selves play fight. Thinking that it was perhaps the perfect time to turn off the mirror, he lowered his watch, breaking its contact with the mirror. Callie, Jake and Chance broke out of their thoughts as the scene on the mirror subsided until its surface returned to its previous, dirty appearance.

"Now that I have proved myself to you, what will it be?" The Pastmaster asked as he turned around to face them.

Jake glanced over at Chance to see if he could see his partner's decision in his expression. The big tabby shrugged as he shoved his paws into his pant pockets. "Why not." He growled gruffly.

Jake looked back at the mirror, still a little disconcerted with what he had just watched. The Pastmaster, Callie, and Chance could sense the smaller tom's hesitation.

"What's the matter Jake? Are you scared?" Callie sneered as she gave him a calculating look.

Jake looked up at her defensively. "No." he growled. He gave them all a challenging glare. "I'm in."

An hour later…...

The first mirror came into existence when some unknown kat looked at their self in the reflection of a still body of water. It was thought at that time that in the surface of the water, the beings soul was reflected. Thus, mirrors became symbols of self-discovery, self-knowledge, contemplation, and of reflection. Mirrors, the eternal symbol of the principle 'know thyself'.

I have always had a keen interest in such topics of the other worlds or dimensions that may exist somewhere in our vast universe. Theories of their existence was a comfort for me, either it was because it gave me a good reason to believe that there was something more to life than what I was living in this reality or it gave me something to think about, to take apart and to reason with my thinking ability. But now, that keen curiosity that I once had of this scientific fantasy has turned into a disturbing puzzle that is too overwhelming and intricate for me to solve.

I take in a deep breath of the cool night air that was flowing in through my open bedroom window in attempt to clear my mind from all of my troubles. Such attempts I know are in vain, I can no longer remember a time that was at ease. I slowly sit up in my bed and throw the comforter off of me. I swing my legs out of my bed and rest my feet onto the carpeted floor as I let my head drop to my chest.

As I raise my head along with my gaze, I find myself staring at my reflection in the body length mirror directly in front of me. I take in every detail of my restless appearance; my reddish brown fur is messy and uneven, hardly covering the scars that cover my lean body. My ruddy face is also scarred and tense with the suspicion and anger that I have grown accustomed too. My torn, ragged ears are stiff and erect, almost flat against my head because of some unfelt anger nagging my numb conscious. I have been angry for so long, it's a second nature to me now, its some element that is now fissured permanently in my being. Its usually hard to pinpoint the source of this anger, since I'm angry at everything now a days, but tonight, after what I've seen…well, I'm feeling something that I haven't felt since who knows when.

My amber eyes slit in frustration as I stare deeper and deeper into my reflection, as if expecting to see the true nature of myself, to see the ugly appearance of the monster that I have become. What the Pastmaster showed us tonight has no doubt brought back to life a part of me that I thought had been suffocated a long time ago, countless memories are now remembered, old wounds are once again ripped open.

My alternate self was the living embodiment of what I used to be and of what I have lost these past years. He was the reminder that I used to love life; I used to be happy; I used to laugh and to joke around; I had dreams and goals; I had standards; I expected things of myself; I had a friend that was closer than my own brother; I had my secret love that I would of done anything for….

…..that was a long time ago…..or so it seems….

How did I become this thing that I used to pity and despise? That thought made my stomach turn. I have become my worst fear; I am the empty shell of some long deceased being; a ghost existing for the sole purpose of revenge, feeding off of fear and hate; the blackest plagues ever to taint katkind.

His eyes were as vibrant as fierce fire feeding off his happiness, his contentedness, of his enjoyment of life. My eyes are dull, completely void of any glow or spark that would give evidence that my previous self was deep down inside of me and that despite it all, it was still fighting to free itself and to save me before it was too late….

…. But there is nothing there…and these thoughts are too unbearable…

I don't remember getting to my feet, nor do I remember slamming my fist into the surface of my mirror. As I stand here, breathing heavily and trembling before a pile of silver shards, I cannot feel my clenched, gashed paw trembling at my side as droplets of my blood drip from the cuts onto my floor.

Faint prisms of light glisten off of the sharp sides of the shards and snake out across the whitewashed wall and carpeted floor. I can't feel the tears coursing down my cheeks, but I can see them fall down and shatter as they hit the broken, bloodied glass shards.

I have nothing left…it is too late for me…there is no turning back. I passed that point a long time ago. I'm too far gone.


	6. And so it all begins

Yes, I am living:P Sorry its taken me so long to update this chapter. Lets just blame it on my lack of a real life outside of school and work. I want to thank you all for being such loyal readers. And also I want to give a special thanx to my good friends, TigerKat, Wyvern, Cosmic Castaway, Ulyferal, Hotaru, and Peri of the Elves. They were the ones that kicked my tail into gear. Thanx guys:P I hope this chapter was worth the wait. I look forward to your reviews...

Chapter 6

Mayor Manx pursed his lips together as he concentrated at the difficult task waiting to be done before him. His grip tightened on the handle as he squirmed in his steady stance, preparing himself for the final outcome of it all. He breathed in deeply, brought his club up to an acute 25 degrees from the green carpeted floor and gently tapped the white golf ball that was patiently waiting to be cast off. A triumphant smirk appeared on the older kat's plump face as he watched the ball go into the pocket, just imagining the tense, anticipated silence that would be ensued by a thunderous roar of cheers and clapping as the ball came to its designated stop. He chuckled as he brought himself up to his full height of 5 foot 3 and glanced over at Callie.

Callie was leaning up against the cherry wood window trim as she stared out of the window out across the steel metropolis that tore jaggedly into the bright blue sky. Apparently, she hadn't been watching his unseen, glorious moment. Manx cleared his throat as he stepped over to the artificial hole and plucked the golf ball out from within it.

"Now, where was aye Callie?" he drawled lazily as he smiled down at the ball in his paw.

"You mentioned the MegaKat Tower sir." Callie replied automatically, still not breaking her stare with the skyline.

"Ah yesa. As aye was sayin, its interior has been replaced and everythang is operational." He beamed as he bent down and placed the ball gently to its starting point. He sighed as he slowly straightened and walked around to his comfortable chair behind his desk. "Mr. Yaung (Young) can now sign his lease papas and everythang will go according to plan, all thanks to the Swat Kats."

Callie's blank expression slowly melted away as she faintly smiled at their name being mentioned. It was a mystery how they had won Manx over, but they did.

"Why, I can't even imagine wat it would be like without tham." Manx's mused out loud as he contentedly sat there behind his sleek, monstrous desk. His grin steadily disappeared as he meditated further on what he just said. "We WOULD have more money in the treasuray though." Manx mused.

Callie stifled a laugh as she looked over at the bemused look on Manx's face. Manx met her glance with his. "Do you think thay vote for may?" he asked, hoping that his most serious doubt would come to peaceful rest.

Callie gave him a calming smile. "Yes mayor, they have even told me that you are their favorite politician ever."

Manx beamed at this, and sat back into his chair, once again in contentment. "Reallay? Oh, well, I do try my baest." He chuckled in a poor attempt of modesty.

Callie chuckled as well as she turned back to the window to look out again on the beautiful day. She was going to have to tell the boys about this conversation. In fact, she would tell Jake himself later today.

...A couple of hours later…

Callie briskly walked up the front stone steps of the museum with a thick portfolio clutched in her hand. The guard standing by the front door saw her coming and rushed to open the door for her, making her smile gratefully at him. "Thank you Simons." A bashful smile appeared on the younger guards face. "You're welcome Miss. Briggs."

Callie's smile grew bigger as she walked through door and heard Simons whisper excitedly to himself that she had remembered his name, failing to realize that she had read it off of his name badge.

She walked through the museum's lobby with her usual prestige and occasionally greeted her acquaintances. Abi was no where to be seen, and so she correctly guessed that the young historian was in her office, undoubtedly studying some recently received artifact.

Sure enough, once Callie had reached Abi's door and waited for Abi to answer to her knock, she walked in to find some rusty old relic resting on the observation table. "What do you have there?" Callie laughed as she walked over to the table. Her nose scrunched up as she saw more of the artifact. "Another book? Is that thing even readable?"

Abi sniffed daintily. "This is not just a book Callie, this is THE book. And yes, I have been able to read it quite well."

"It smells like mold." Callie stated bluntly.

"Posh. It does not. It carries the aroma of passed ages." Abi breathed in deeply to emphasize her statement. "I love it." She smiled at Callie as she held out her paw for the portfolio.

"Exactly, it smells like mold." Callie smirked, handing the portfolio over to Abi. Abi waved her free paw dismiss fully as she walked back over to her messy desk. "You just have a horrid sense of smell."

"Thank goodness." Callie laughed as she followed Abi. "Those are the final reports on the cathedral. I just need you to sign a couple of more papers."

Abi shook her head. "And we're just now getting this whole thing closed up?" Abi sighed as she opened the portfolio and started to read its contents.

"Well, Manx kind of wanted to keep everything quiet. A lot of things had to be changed because of what happened." Callie explained as she sat down in one of Abi's chairs.

"I thought you said I only had to sign a few papers." Abi cast an accusing glare in Callie's direction.

"Yes, you just need to read over the rest of that…the last three in there are what you need to sign."

"Oh, right." Abi chuckled as she pulled the three pages from the back. "Silly me." Abi sat down and started to fill out the papers. "After this it's going to be settled right?" Abi looked up at Callie, who was staring blankly at the edge of the oaken desk.

"Yes." Came the reply.

A few moments of silence pursued Callie's distracted reply. Abi laid down her pen and straightened the papers she had just signed. "Are their secret identities still safe?" Abi asked quietly as she laid the papers in front of Callie.

Callie looked up abruptly with a tense expression on her face. Seeing that Abi was sincere in her meaning, her face softened. "I think so. I've been worrying about it since then but they're surprisingly not all that stressed about it. Jake even told me that it's kind of nice that they're not the only ones that know now…and that it's not some overwhelming burden anymore."

Abi smiled whimsically while briefly shaking their head. "They're both doing good though?"

Callie nodded. "Yeah, they've returned to their old selves."

"I'm glad to hear that." Abi looked down at her paws, trying to rephrase her thoughts. "Do they know that I know?" she asked finally.

Callie simply nodded. "Yes, like I said their not too worried about it. Its not like Feral knows."

Abi smiled. "And hopefully, he never will."

...Meanwhile...

The pen whipped back and forth as a dark blue blur between his twitching fingers as he sat there glaring out of his office window. His jaw was clenched as his angered thoughts began to win him over, and as the rash resolution became the one and only option he was willing to accept, he breathed in deeply. His paw abruptly snapped shut, gripping the pen in his strong paw as if it was a stress reliever before slamming it onto his desk. He stood up and grabbed his overcoat from the back of his chair and put it on. After buttoning it up and straightening his collar, he leaned down and called the front desk from his conference phone.

"Commander?" Came the brisk answer.

"Hello Susan. I was just wanted to know where my niece was on patrol."

"She's patrolling up town Commander and is scheduled to be back at 7."

"Excellent. Thank you Susan."

He hung up and grabbed his car keys from his desk. He left his office and Enforcer Headquarters with only one purpose in mind.

...Thirty minutes later…..5:30 p.m...

Callie looked down at the small sports car uncomfortably while at the same time noting that she was taller than the car itself. She looked back up to Jake who was studying her expression, and gave him an uneasy smile that just made Chance snicker.

"You want me to drive THIS?" Callie laughed, hoping that she had misheard him. Jake shot Chance an irritable glare before replying. "Yes, I want you to learn how to drive it."

Chance leaned up against the back of the truck that was parked in the garage so that he could watch Callie and Jake's upcoming stare down. He shook his head and folded his arms across his chest. '_This is too funny.'_ He snickered to himself.

"Jake, I have no desire or need for that matter to learn to drive this thing. I am perfectly content with my automatic." Callie informed her boyfriend in her usual manner-of-fact way. Callie couldn't help but frown as Jake got a mischievous smirk on his face.

"Alright Cal, I see how it is. You're just not up for the challenge today. Don't get me wrong, I understand that you probably had a trying day at the office and you just don't want to admit that you're a little scared…"

"Scared? I didn't say that I was scared." Callie huffed, a little dismayed that Jake was seeing straight through her act.

Jake glanced back at Chance over his shoulder. "She didn't say she was scared?" Chance caught on to Jake's game immediately and just nodded. "Of course she isn't scared." Chance laughed as if he was trying to convince himself of it. Jake looked back to an irritated Callie. "Sorry, my bad. You're not scared."

Callie continued to glare at Jake while he, on the other hand, stared back at her with a calm expression and a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

After a few moments, Callie gave in. She fully knew that Chance and Jake were aware that she was indeed a little bit scared to drive a manual. She pursed her lips together stubbornly and tossed her head to clear her face of the hair that was hanging in front of it. "Fine, Let's go now so that we're not gone for the remainder of the day."

Jake grinned triumphantly as Callie walked over to the passenger side of the car and opened the door. Before getting in she stopped and pointed at him. "But YOU are driving until we're out of the city."

"Fair enough." He smiled. When Callie had got in and shut the door, Chance just shook his head. "I can't believe you got her to cave in."

Jake walked up to the car and put his paw on the door handle. "We're both stubborn; one of us has to win eventually."

Chance shook his head as he watched Jake start the car and skillfully drive off. "They make a perfect couple." He chuckled to himself as he stood up from his relaxed position and walked up to the front of the jacked up truck to continue working on it. "Kill joy." He muttered at the truck as he lay back down on the roller bench and pulled himself underneath the truck.

Several minutes had passed when he heard a car drive up to the front of the garage. Chance grumbled as he rolled out from underneath the truck and slowly stood up. He grabbed the shop rag that was lying across the hood and started to wipe his paws off.

He was looking down at his paws as he heard a car door open, the visitor step out and then the door shut. Chance looked up, and was taken back when he saw who his visitor was.

"Commander." Chance said in surprise as he watched the grim faced Feral step into the garage.

"Furlong." Feral growled unpleasantly. He looked around the garage briefly to make sure no one else was around. "Is Clawson here?" He demanded gruffly.

Chance raised an eyebrow as he tried to guess the reason why Feral was there. "He's out…why?"

Feral breathed in deeply as he continued to glare down at Chance disapprovingly. "I wanted to discuss something with you…alone."

"Okay. What do you want to talk about?" Chance's expression betrayed his confusion.

"I came here to talk about those boundaries Furlong, and I've been given the impression that I need to make them clearer."

"What are you talking about?"

Feral took another step forward, so that he towered over Chance even more. "At the last private discussion we had, I mentioned that I had some boundaries that you were not to cross. Let's just say that due to your apparent lack of respectability and complete disregard for the well being of others, you have violated one of those boundaries."

Chance swallowed and took a deep breath. _'Does Feral know about me and Felina?'_ he thought to himself as he noted Feral's obvious displeasure. "I have no idea what you're talking about." The tabby growled as he returned Feral's glare.

Feral's eyes flashed with anger. "On the contrary, I think you're fully aware of what you did. And I want you to stay the hell away from my niece." He spat.

Chance's eyes at first grew wide, but he quickly recovered from his surprise. His emerald eyes flashed in anger as they narrowed, challenging Feral's own seething glare. Chance brought himself up to his full height and crossed his tense arms across his chest. "Last time I checked, Felina is over 18 and is living on her own. Knowing her, I don't think you have a say when it comes to what she wants to do."

...meanwhile...

Felina smiled to herself as she looked down at her wrist watch as she quickly approached the salvage yard driveway. She had just given Callie a call on her cell to find out that Jake was teaching her how to drive a manual. She chuckled to herself as she turned into the driveway; along with her mental picture of Callie freaking when she inevitably stalls the car and that she had managed to get off early put her in a carefree mood.

She had thought that it would be the perfect opportunity to talk to Chance alone for the first time in weeks. However, as the garage came into view her smile slowly melted off her face. Her uncle's car was parked right in front of the garage.

Horror made her heart flutter anxiously as she pulled up alongside her uncle's car and shut off the engine, allowing her to hear the rather heated argument. The argument's volume tripled as she opened her car door and stepped out. Her uncle's back was facing her as she watched him scream into Chance's equally angered and defiant face. From Chance's firm stance, she could tell that he was far from backing down under her uncle's icy glare.

It was only until he saw Felina that Chance actually stepped back, as if ashamed that she had caught him fighting with her uncle.

"Uncle! What are you doing here? What's going on?" Felina demanded as she stomped up to stand to the side of both of them.

"Felina, I want you to get back into your car and to get back to headquarters." He ordered as he broke his eye contact with Chance to look at her.

"NO!" she growled. "I want to know what your doing here."

"I'm making sure that this hotshot, lowlife, hero wannabe isn't going to ruin your future."

"What are you talking about!"

"Don't play games with me Felina! I saw you with him the other night and I refuse to let you get involved with a wanted vigilante who has nothing in store for him but prison!"

Felina's eyes grew wide in shock as she looked from her uncle to Chance. Feral noticed their exchange and grew even angrier. "Yes, I know about him being a Swat Kat. I've known ever since our last confrontation with the Pastmaster."

Felina covered her mouth with her paw, realizing that the only reason why her uncle knew of their secret identities was because of her.

"You know Feral, even though you're making me look like the bad guy here, it is in every way your fault as well." Chance gritted through his teeth. "I actually had a life before you kicked Jake and I off the squadron and landed us here in this grease hole for the rest of our lives to pay off YOUR debt!"

"My debt?" Feral sneered.

"You're the one who clipped our jet because you couldn't stand the thought we going to bring down Dark kat instead of you! We would've got him!" Chance's temporarily lost temper returned to him full strength.

Feral hid the guilt that stabbed his conscious, knowing that Chance spoke the truth. "I can't believe you're still dwelling in the past and that you're still blaming me for your screw ups."

Feral turned to Felina. "Get back into your car."

Felina looked up at him defiantly, even though her eyes were brimming with tears. "No." she growled, her voice shaking. "You're not the boss of me."

Feral looked at her in shock. "Felina…" be began as he took a hold of her arm.

"NO!" she screamed as she tore her arm away from his grasp. "You're not my father! You have no right to tell me what to do or who I can love!"

Feral just froze while Chance looked at Felina in shock. "What did you just say?" Feral whispered.

Felina was breathing heavily as she stood in front of Chance. "I said…I love him." Her words hung in the air above their heads tauntingly as Feral just stared at Felina, who was just getting started.

"And for your information, they are not the two hotshot, lowlife, hero wannabe's you have convinced everyone else to believe. They are the most selfless, bravest, courageous, tom kats in this city who overcame your injust scorn and persecution to live up to their oaths. They have been doing your job without any pay or reward and they are 10 times the tom kat you'll ever hope to be. And if you do decide to bring them in, I along with 98 of the whole city will rest at nothing to make sure that they will replace you as the city's head protectors."

Feral swallowed as he looked at Felina through pained eyes before glancing over at Chance, who was still too shocked to do anything but stand. Feral returned his gaze to Felina. "Since you feel that way…" he croaked, failing to maintain his usual composure, "I will leave you two alone." Without saying anything further, Feral walked out of the garage, got into his car, and drove away.

Chance and Felina were silent for what seemed the longest time before Felina started to laugh as if in disbelief. She turned to face Chance, who was looking at her sadly. "This is all my fault." She laughed as tears started to stream down her cheeks. Her laughing turned into heartbroken sobs as she covered her mouth with her shaking paws as her whole body started to shake. Chance felt his heart throb at seeing her cry and walked up to her and took her into his arms, holding her tightly as she cried into his shoulder.

...Later on...

"Red light Callie…..uh red light……Callie...ITS A RED LIGHT!" Jake's scream mingled with Callie's as they ran the red light, weaving in and out of the cars screeching to a stop in the middle of the intersection while their horns blared.

"CALLIE THE CLUTCH! YOU MUST PUT THE CLUTCH IN FIRST!" Jake wailed as she swerved to the side of the road, where the car sputtered and stalled when she failed to put in the clutch when she stomped on the brake.

The two of them sat there hyperventilating from their near death experience as they clung onto whatever part of the car they could. "Why. Did. You. Run. That. Light?" Jake breathed as soon as he was capable to speak.

"I. Couldn't. Stop." Callie wheezed in her defense.

Jake shook his head and started to laugh. "Callie, that's why there is this nifty little invention called The Brake placed in a very convenient place by your right foot. Perhaps you've heard of it?"

Callie slowly turned her head in his direction. "Yes, I'm quite familiar with the brake, but in this thing the brake doesn't work."

"The brake works fine Callie, you just need to put the clutch in first."

"Why can't they have it were the brake will work by itself?"

"Because it's a clutch, they work together."

"There are too many pedals in this thing!"

"Too many pedals? There's only three!"

"Yes, an odd number. I prefer even numbers. And you forgot the stick thingy here that's almost impossible to work!"

"The stick? Callie, that's there to shift your gears!"

"Why do they have a stick? Why can't it shift gears by itself?"

"Because it's a manual!"

"Well, its hard to remember to put in the clutch before you shift it….I couldn't even put it in 3rd gear!"

"You were doing just fine until you started to freak out back there."

"I don't like it when people honk at me!"

"Well, you were doing 30 instead of 45."

Callie stopped and laid her head against the steering wheel. "I hope no one recognized me." She moaned.

Jake shook his head as he started to chuckle. "Is that all your worried about? We almost died back there."

Callie sniffed as she looked over at him, the side of her head still resting the wheel. A smile slowly spread across her face. "Did I scare you?"

"Yes, you scared 3 of my nine lives out of me!"

Callie started to laugh. "Aha, the fearless Razor, scared? Huh, I'm kind of proud of myself."

"That's nothing to be proud of." Jake muttered.

"Of course it is. Especially since you admitted it without me torturing it out of you."

Jake rolled his eyes. "Are you hungry? My renewed love for live has given me an appetite."

"Yes, food and espresso sounds good right about now. But you're driving." Callie grinned.

"Yes, I am driving. But this doesn't mean I'm giving up. You will learn to drive this car eventually."

Callie sighed in resignation as Jake opened his door and got out. "I was hoping I killed that line of thinking." Callie scooted over into the passenger seat as Jake got in.

"Its going to take more than bad driving to deter me from my goal."

"Dang. Looks like I have to move on to plan b." Callie sighed teasingly.

...1 hour later…….back at the garage.

Chance stared up at the living room ceiling as he ran his fingers through her silky, black hair. He was laying on his back on the couch with Felina sleeping on top of him. It had taken him a while to calm her down, and she had cried herself asleep due to her emotional exhaustion. He played the harsh words she had yelled at her uncle over and over in his mind; trying to make sense of the whole mess. Feral's pained expression was there as well, burned permanently in his minds eye as a constant reminder; he had never seen Feral that hurt before.

He let out a long, weary sigh that made Felina stir and whimper in her troubled sleep. Feral loved her as a daughter, not as a niece. He didn't know a lot about Feral's or Felina's past, except that Feral had raised her after her parents were killed in a car accident ten years ago…so she might as well be his daughter. Chance looked down at her tear stained face, and his sadness deepened. She had chosen him over her uncle, and even though that made him happy to an extent, it made him feel guilty as well. He had turned Felina against her uncle, perhaps even ruining their relationship; and undoubtedly making Feral despise him even more.

And it didn't help matters that Feral knew; as of now, only Felina knew that Feral knew. He never told Jake, at first worrying that it would hinder Jake's recovery, but after that he had no desire to tell him because he was afraid that it would ruin their friendship and their alias's performance and overall existence. He had no choice now but to tell Jake. He untangled his fingers from Felina's hair and raised up his arm so that he could read the time on his watch. It read 7: 30 p.m. Jake was going to be home soon. He sighed again as he rested is arm on Felina's back and leaned his cheek against the top of Felina's head. Felina sighed in her sleep as she nuzzled her face into his neck and continued to sleep. Chance's eyelids grew heavy as the minutes seemed to run together and before he knew it, he was asleep as well.

...Meanwhile, in another dimension…

The newly painted Turbokat glistened in the faint light of the hangar, making the Pastmaster chuckle evilly to himself; the two Turbokats would be indistinguishable to one another when the time came. He heard footsteps approach him from behind and without even turning around to acknowledge their presence he spoke. "Are you two done?"

"Yes." Came the unified reply of the two tom kats.

The Pastmaster's malicious grin grew wider as he turned around, immensely pleased with what he saw. "Good, Good." He purred as he studied T-Bone and Razor's clean appearance. Callie folded her arms across her chest and smirked proudly, she was good and she knew it.

"Very well done my dear." The Pastmaster praised her. "No one will be able to tell them apart.

"When are we leaving?" T-Bone growled impatiently.

The Pastmaster held up his bony paw. "Patience Swat Kat. We will be departing in the morning. But for now I want you to perfect your acting. There will come a time when you three will have to act just like your doubles. It will make everything all the more successful and swift."

"Easy." Razor smirked slyly.

"Once we enter the city I will provide an ample distraction that will keep your doubles busy so that you can get into position. Your first strike will be sudden, hard and merciless. We have the element of surprise on our side, lets not waste that advantage but instead use it wisely. We will attack them when they least expect it then we will disappear again and then strike them again when the timing proves right. And once their demise is complete we will terminate them with one swift stroke."

The Pastmaster paused, letting the silence emphasize the importance of their plan. He sneered ghoulishly as he looked the two Swat Kat's dead on into their emotionless eyes. "They will never know what hit them."


	7. A worst nightmare becomes a reality

Heylo Everyone! This one wasnt so long in the taking thank goodness. I've been setting aside time everyday to work on this so hopefully chapter 8 will follow in a like manner. I hope you enjoy this! If there is some confusion in this regarding the interactions between some of the like characters please PM me and I'll try to clear it up for you. I apologize in advance for that. And until chapter 8, I hope you enjoy this!

Etherweil

Chapter 7

That next evening… 5:00 p.m.

Jake stared at Chance in disbelief from across the table, a little shocked with what he was just told.

"How...When did he..." Jake stammered as he ran his paw through his hair.

Chance swallowed as he looked up from the table directly into Jake's eyes. "He found out when we were in Megalith city…he…he overheard the argument Felina and I had."

Jake shook his head. "Why didn't you tell me until now?"

"I didn't want you to worry about it; you had a lot on your mind at that time."

"It doesn't matter, you should of told me, I'm a Swat Kat too you know."

Chance closed his eyes and sighed. "Look I'm sorry."

Jake stood up from his seat and walked over the kitchen counter and looked out the window. "From what you've told me about your argument with Feral, I think it's safe to say our Swat Kat days are numbered." He muttered sadly.

Chance shook his head. "I've been so stupid Jake." He groaned as he rubbed his face wearily. "There are so many things I would've done different, especially with Feral, this could've been prevented if I had paid attention to reason and ignored my pride."

Jake shook his head as he looked back at Chance. "You're not the only one to blame bud. We're in this together."

Chance sighed and leaned his elbow on the table and rested his head in his palm while Jake turned to gaze out the window. "It was inevitable really." Jake sighed. "Did you honestly think we'd live two complete different lives for the rest of our existence Chance?"

Chance chuckled and smiled despite himself. "I actually thought we could for a while, that is before time and reality set in on us."

The alarm suddenly went off, rudely interrupting their conversation with its demanding wail. Jake closed his eyes and let his chin drop to his chest. "Figures." He chuckled.

Chance slowly stood up and stepped away from the table. "Well, we should give it our all; we're not out of the game yet."

Moments later, the TurboKat screamed out into the twilight, cutting a path through the crimson strewn sky towards the blazing outline of MegaKat city.

Meanwhile…

Callie continued to clutch the communicator tightly in her paw as she looked down at the chaotic scene below her. A huge T-Rex was plowing its way through the halted rush hour traffic effortlessly as countless katizens fled into the nearby buildings. This was undoubtedly the doing of the Pastmaster, but what struck her as odd was that the Pastmaster was no where to be seen.

Usually, he rode his monstrosities as they wreaked their havoc like a politician would ride on a float in a parade. She scowled as she continued to think about it, and she grew even more suspicious as the seconds passed. Something wasn't right.

In the TurboKat……

"Callie's calling." T-Bone announced as he turned on their radio. "We're here Callie."

"Guys, something isn't right, there has been no trace of the Pastmaster."

"Are you positive that its Pastie's doing?" Razor asked, sensing the intensity of Callie's suspicion.

"Who else would use an extinct carnivorous reptile? Honestly guys." Callie sighed.

"She has a point." T-Bone shot a quick glance back at his partner.

Razor shook his head. "What is that gnome up to?" he growled to himself as the enraged T-Rex came into view on his scope.

"Whatever it is, its not going to be enjoyable." T-Bone sighed. "Lets put this oversized gecko out of commission."

"Be careful." Callie pleaded softly as her suspicion turned into fear.

The two Swat Kats smiled. "Aren't we always?" Razor replied playfully, succeeding in his endeavor to make Callie smile despite everything. "Good luck guys." Callie chuckled into her communicator as she watched the Turbokat speed towards the dinosaur.

"Dang, this bad boy's big!" T-Bone whistled as they got closer to the back of the roaring beast.

"You're telling me." Razor agreed as he scanned his weapons panel. "I don't think I have anything that would really deter him. I think we'd be better off tying his legs together with the steel grappling hook so he can't go anywhere."

T-Bone sighed. "I won't have any room to make evasive maneuvers, not to mention mistakes. And how do we even know that will hold him?"

Razor smiled. "Come on bud, those who are faithful in least are also faithful in much. I just need to get a clear shot of his head."

T-Bone rolled his eyes. "Alright, let's just hope your crazed idea works."

"Oh, it will." Razor selected the heavy duty grabbling hook on his console and looked for the perfect area of which to strike. "There, on his leg to our right. We'll circle, let's say three times."

"Roger that." T-Bone's expression hardened as he focused on the task at hand. He came in low, hoping that the preoccupied beast looking at the fleeing katizens wouldn't notice them sneaking up from behind.

"Hold her steady…." Razor breathed as he stared hard at the targeting screen. Seconds later, when they had reached the desired distance he fired. "Grappling hook deployed!" he announced.

"Right, I'm bringing her around." T-Bone gritted his teeth as he turned the Turbokat sharply and zipped in front of the T-Rex's legs, quickly working their way around to complete the second pass.

Feral held up his binoculars, stunned at what he was seeing. "What the hell!" Felina growled, trying to not let her fear for them show.

The enforcers, standing ready with their weapons aimed watched nervously as the T-Rex stopped and looked down, confused at the odd feeling of his legs being binded by the Turbokat that was zipping around them.

"Come on, Come on, detach!" Feral found himself gritting under his breath.

"Okay Razor, Beastie's seen us." T-Bone hissed as he held the Turbokat steady.

"We've almost completed the third pass, just hold on a few more seconds!"

"Razor, in a few seconds we're going to be dinner!" T-Bone growled as the Turbokat lurched in response to the T-Rex trying to step out farther.

"Wait for it….wait for it…." Razor hummed nervously as the air was shattered with an ear piercing roar. "NOW…grappling hook detached!"

"CRUD!" T-Bone cursed as the T-Rex's monstrous head shot down to their level, its mouth filled with glistening, flesh shredding teeth was opened wide, waiting to crash down on them. T-Bone jerked the stick back towards him, and they were thrown into a dizzying climb. The T-Rex moved to launch itself at them, but found itself plummeting head first into the hard cement as the grappling cable snapped taunt and ungiving. However, the T-Rex's outstretched claw managed to tear through the back of the Turbokat, completely shredding a portion of the left wing and tore alongside of it to the tip of the third engine.

A collective gasp rose from the watching crowd as the Turbokat spiraled violently out of control towards them. "Open fire on its head!" Feral yelled over the commotion of the falling Turbokat that was heading directly for them.

"But commander…" one of the enforcers started to protest as the spinning Turbokat came nearer.

"JUST SHOOT IT NOW!" Feral screamed, his fiery eyes ablaze with impatience.

"COME ON BABY!" T-Bone snarled as he fought to gain back control. "Not again….I'm not going to crash again….." he hissed to himself. His firm, powerful grip remarkably started to win over the spinning Turbokat. The burly pilot blocked out the blaring alarms that filled the cockpit as his sight became clearer. His throat grew tense when he saw that in their path the enforcer blockade, getting ready to fire at the fallen T-Rex……and they were directly in the line of fire.

"COME ON!" T-Bone screamed as he fought to pull up as the Turbokat cut through the air towards them at an amazing speed.

"SIR! WE'LL HIT THEM!" Felina screamed over the commotion of the Turbokat and screaming kats.

"NO WE WON T FELINA!" he shot back as he stood erect at the front of the line, staring directly at the Turbokat. "_Come on Furlong…Any day now…."_ He thought to himself. "I SAID FIRE!" he screamed at his squadron. Felina tried to continue to breath as the tanks and bazookas fired around her.

Amazingly, much to everyone's relief the Turbokat started to gain altitude, narrowly missing a missile that zipped right underneath the jet's belly. Everyone fought the urge to duck as the Turbokat screamed overhead, leaving behind a trail of nauseating black smoke.

Callie collapsed against the window sill of her office and fought to regain the control of her frantic heart. "Oh my God." She moaned, shaken by what she had just seen; they had narrowly escaped. She clutched the communicator tightly in her shaking paw as she held her forehead in the other and tightly closed her eyes. The dying shrieks of the T-Rex echoed deafeningly through the air along with the harsh explosion of the fired ammunition, making her head pound all the more. She opened her eyes slowly brought the communicator up to her face and pressed the red button.

Razor breathed out in relief after realizing that he had been holding his breath throughout the whole struggle. He looked down at his paw, and seeing that his knuckles were white, he slowly released his grip and tried to ease his tense body. He looked up at the back of T-Bone's seat worriedly as he felt the Turbokat shudder in concordance with her injuries. "T-Bone, bud, are you okay?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah." The pilot replied shakily as he tried to control the agonized shudders of his jet. His heart was still beating hard along with his blood pounding deafeningly in his head and ears, intermixing with the still blaring alarms in the cockpit. "Does it look as bad as it sounds?" he asked.

Razor turned to look down at the torn wing. "It doesn't look good bud, he tore open the whole back left side of the jet right down to the engine."

T-Bone fought the urge to curse aloud. "Looks like we have a late one ahead of us." He growled.

Razor sighed when the beeping of their radio joined the other blaring alarms. He leaned back further into his seat and looked out into the quickly darkening night. "It's Callie." He muttered the obvious. T-Bone groaned. He really didn't want to talk to her right now. He reached down and turned off the radio. "We'll call her when we get to the hanger."

Razor shrugged doubtfully. "I don't think she's going to appreciate us ignoring her."

"We're not….we're just a little preoccupied at the moment."

"I'd say. We'd better hurry back to the hanger…..its going to damage the jet even more the longer we are in the air."

"I know, I don't want to push her Razor." T-Bone growled, still a little miffed that his beloved jet was damaged.

Much to their relief, the junkyard came into view minutes later. T-Bone gritted his teeth nervously as the Turbokat shuddered and jolted as they came in for the landing. He brought her in gently without any real difficulty, and slowly rolled into the hangar. T-Bone quickly turned off the overworked engines and opened the canopy, allowing the putrid exhaust of the fried third engine to fall upon them.

"Great." T-Bone hissed as he jumped out, immediately followed by Razor. "Stupid lizard." He muttered to himself as they both grimaced at the huge, ragged tears that peeled the Turbokat's metal skin back from her skeletal frame.

"Well, it could be worse." Razor mumbled.

"That's the worst we've seen in quite a while." T-Bone growled, unable to tear his glare away from the damage.

"At least she can still fly. Last time we lost the whole jet." He calmly reminded.

"Barely." T-Bone emphasized as he turned to look at Razor. "She can barely fly."

Razor breathed in deeply. "I'm just as equally frustrated as you Chance, but our arguing is not going to he…"

The hangar lights abruptly shut of, sending the two of them into complete and total darkness. "What the?..." he began.

"Ah, that's just great. Wonderful. Now we have the lights to fix along with the jet!" T-Bone growled in frustration.

Razor peered straining into the blackness before him. He took a cautious step ahead, trying to get his bearings when he froze in midstep. The hairs on the back of his neck bristled as he looked straight into a pair of glowing ocher eyes that were completely void of any sign of warm or emotion, they sent icy shivers down his spine.

"I don't think the lights are broken T-Bone." Razor whispered in T-Bone's direction.

A deep, menacing chuckle echoed deafeningly in the black void that surrounded them.

"Your jet is going to be the least of your worries." A familiar voice hissed menacingly.

"Razor? Is that you?" T-Bone's wary voice spoke out in the dark.

"Well, in a manner of speaking." The voice chuckled in an icy tone of wicked intent.

Razor and T-Bone's grip both tightened in their glovatrix's as they stood rooted to where they were. Razor grew tense as he lost sight of the eyes he saw and the hanger grew deafeningly silent. Their minds were racing, trying to place the menacing voices of the intruders. "Who are you?" T-Bone growled aloud as his paw slowly reached for switch that would turn on the light in his helmet.

"We're you." a voice hissed directly in his ear, and before he could react he was shoved foreward and took Razor down to the ground as well. Razor and T-Bone both flipped back onto their feet from their backs and landed in their fighting stances, still practically blind due to the inky blackness of the hangar. "T-Bone, turn on you night vision now!" Razor hissed urgently.

"Not so fast." A voice snarled as the sound and flash of something being fired rent through the thick blackness. "Duck!" Razor cried as he threw himself towards the ground, simultaneously turning on his night vision as he rolled back onto his feet. His heart nearly stopped when he heard T-Bone cry out in pain, followed by the sound of a body hitting the floor hard. Razor whirled around, his glovatrix raised and the sight of their intruders made him freeze in shock and horror.

His partner was lying on his back with a tipped grappling hook embedded in his left shoulder, and standing over him was another T-Bone, who was completely identical to his fallen friend, and was laughing cynically as he reeled in the steel cable with his lethal glovatrix. T-Bone, despite the agony he was in, looked over in Razor's direction and his eyes grew wide. "Razor, behind you!" he yelled. A strong, muscular arm snaked around Razor's neck before he could react, depriving his lungs oxygen. Razor let out a startled gag as his head and neck was yanked back. His captor's mouth came down by his ear so that hot breath steamed his fur. "Remember me?" the figure snarled as his grip on Razor's throat tightened. Razor's eyes grew wide in realization, but they immediately narrowed hatefully as he struggled to free himself.

T-Bone tore his gaze away from Razor and his double and looked up at the Dark T-Bone that was smirking in triumph. "I was kind of hoping that you'd be more of a challenge." He snarled with a malicious leer on his face as he stepped closer to his good alternate.

T-Bone bared his teeth as he grabbed a hold of the steel cable with his injured arm and aimed his glovatrix at the cable and fired a slicer missile, severing the cable easily. The Dark T-Bone was momentarily distracted by the recoiling cable, giving T-Bone enough time to jump onto his feet defensively. "You're going to pay for that." He hissed as he blocked out the excruciating pain of his shoulder. Luckily, it pierced through the flesh and muscle in his shoulder, missing his heart, major arteries, and bones so he was still able to move his left arm.

Razor went to flip his dark alternate over his shoulder; however, his move was knowingly anticipated. Dark Razor leaned back with his full weight while swiping his leg and buckling Razor's legs, making him hit his head on the workbench before falling hard onto his face. Pain exploded throughout Razor's skull as his vision turned blood red and swam before him

He heard his darker self chuckle scathingly as he walked up alongside of him, thinking that he was too dizzy to see straight. Razor lashed out at Dark Razor's legs and pulled with all of his might, making his other fall flat on his back and knocking the air from his lungs. Razor jumped up onto his feet and aimed his glovatrix at the back of Dark T-Bone who was preparing to throw a bone crushing punch at T-Bone. Before he knew it, Dark T-Bone found himself lying bound on the floor.

"Let's get out of here!" Razor yelled, motioning towards the Turbokat. They both sprinted towards the Turbokat and jumped in. T-Bone turned on the Turbokat with no hesitation and brought her back around towards the exit. The Turbokat leaped forward at T-Bone's command and shot down the tunnel, leaving behind the hangar. Razor looked back behind them and saw Dark Razor standing there, watching them flee with seething, glowing red eyes and a devious smirk on his face.

"Razor, what the hell!" T-Bone hissed as he tried to put everything in place.

"I don't know T-Bone, I don't know." Razor moaned as he put his head in his hands and leaned forward in his seat.

The Turbokat shuddered violently, reminding them of the damage. "Crud." T-Bone growled. "Where do we go now?!"

Razor breathed in deeply, trying to get rid of his piercing headache. "Let's go to the emergency hangar."

"Its not even finished Razor. We haven't worked on it for over 6 months at least."

"Yes, but it's a place to park the Turbokat. I think we might have some extra tools and parts stored there. We need to look at your shoulder anyway."

T-Bone nodded as he brought the Turbokat around to the coordinates of their second hangar. The adrenaline was beginning to wear off and the sickening pain was coming back with full force.

Razor continued to breathe in deeply as he rested his pounding head in his paws. His head injury along with what they just faced was starting to make him nauseated. "They're supposed to be dead T-Bone, their jet exploded with them inside!" he muttered out loud with lingering disbelief.

T-Bone just shook his head, unable to think of anything to say. 15 minutes passed by slowly as they flew over the vast mountain range thickly carpeted by huge spruce and birch trees, allowing reality to painfully sink in. T-Bone raised his good arm and pressed in a 6 digit code in the access bar that appeared on the screen as they descended closer to the treetops and turned sharply at the cliffs sharp decline into a raging river. A huge waterfall now lay before them and close to the top of it emerged two tall, thick aluminum doors that opened out while pushing the surging waterfall apart into two separate smaller sheets that ran along the sides of the glistening silver doors, allowing a clear entrance into the secret hanger.

The polished stone floors of the hangar lit up brilliantly into precisely marked lines and arrows, helping T-Bone to guide the Turbokat into the cave. Once in, the massive doors started to close, and the waterfall started to fall back into its original descent. Seconds later, no one would have guessed that a massive hangar lay behind the roaring falling waters of the massive waterfall.

Feral was walking up to his office with a thick file clenched firmly in his paw the sound of someone running interrupted the steady rhythm of his footsteps. Feral stopped and looked back; surprised to see that it was Felina who was running towards him. "What is it Lieutenant?" he asked gruffly, presuming her reply to be harsh and scolding in nature. His cold expression, however, slowly melted once he saw the fear that was clearly evident in her eyes.

"Sir." She breathed laboriously. "The salvage yard…it's…"

Feral raised his eyebrow as he placed a comforting paw on her shaking shoulder. "What's going on Felina?" he asked quietly as he looked at her with concern.

"The salvage yard…." She repeated shakily. "It's on fire."

P.S sorry for the cliffhanger guys but it fit in so nicely. :P


	8. All is consumed by fire

**OMG!!!! I haven't updated since November! I am so sorry guys for the wait :( Life has been insane --.-- sigh well, due to the long overdue update I owe you all, I've decided to update what I have written out so far. I actually have more written out but it wouldnt of fit for an independant chapter so I've decided to add it in with what I have planned for chapter nine. My school load is slowing down thank GAWD and I've been laid off my job because I told her i wouldnt work 40 hours a week, that, instead my school and dancing came first. shakes fist That evidently didnt make her happy so I'm now out of a job as of NOW! Ah, I shall not bore you with my personal troubles. I once again apologize for my slowness. I know for a fact that chapter 9 won't be long in coming and it will be a longer one to make up for time. Thank you loyal readers. And a special thanx to Tigerkat, Peri of the Elves, and Cosmic Castaway for kicking my tail into gear!!! Happy reading! **

**Etherweil**

Feral's sedan sped towards the edge of the city where the night sky glowed a radiant scarlet close to the horizon. Judging from the size and brilliance, Feral could tell that it wasn't a little fire. He looked over at his niece out of the corner of his eye, only to see her sitting rigid in her seat as she stared at that area of the sky, her rich dark brown eyes glowing like embers. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as his foot pressed further down on the gas pedal, making his car growl as it sped up.

Felina noticed their drastic change in speed and looked over at her uncle questioningly. Feral felt her curious gaze on him and couldn't help but smile gently. "One of the perks of being the Commander of the Enforcers."

Felina smiled despite herself as she returned her gaze towards the salvage yard. "Thank you." she muttered softly after a few silent minutes passed.

Feral nodded. "You're welcome."

Due to their rate of speed, they reached the drive way to the salvage yard quickly. Without even bothering to use his blinker he swerved into the driveway and sped down the dirt road. Feral had to slam on his breaks after driving only a few yards, and he skidded to a stop alongside an idle ambulance. They stared out of Felina's side window in shock.

"Oh my God." she groaned.

It all was a gigantic scorching ball of ravenous scarlet flame, the garage, the house, everything. Like a starving beast it engulfed everything susceptible to its scarring ribbons of brilliant fire that emitted enough heat to make the surrounding atmosphere identical to a warm day in the Sahara desert. Firefighters where forced to stay on the sidelines as massive streams of water cut through the air, only to evaporate as it came in range of the roaring flames.

Felina jumped out of the car and didn't even bother shutting the door behind her as she stepped out into the dry burning night air. Feral got out of his car as well and walked over to her. "Felina…" he began as he fought to find the right words. "They're okay, wherever they are."

Felina shook her head and started to walk in the direction of the fire chief who was standing besides one of the fire engines. Feral cursed to himself as he ran to catch up with her, and once he did he put a hand on her shoulder.

The fire chief looked at Feral as he and Felina approached. "Commander." He greeted.

"What happened?" Feral asked as his grip on Felina's shoulder tightened, telling her that he'd ask the questions.

The fire chief shook his head. "Two toms by the name of Burke and Murray called it in. They said they heard some small explosions coming from here and came to investigate." He paused as he and Feral looked over at the garage for a brief moment. "What they said they saw next, however, doesn't make any sense to me," he sighed, making Felina and Feral look at him curiously.

"What did they see?" Feral dared question.

The fire chief shook his head. "They said they saw the Turbokat fly over head like it just took off from the back of the yard."

Felina breathed in sharply while Feral scowled. "The Turbokat?" he repeated, trying to fit everything he knew so far together.

The fire chief nodded. "I know. What do you think the Swat Kats were doing all the way out here?"

Feral shook his head, deep in thought. "I don't know."

The sound of approaching vehicles made Felina and Feral look behind them.

"Great." Feral growled, seeing that the Kat's Eye News Team had caught wind of the fire. Feral turned back to the fire chief sternly. "Don't breathe a word of this to anybody else. Just give them enough to keep them from getting suspicious."

"Yes sir, I understand."

Feral and Felina turned away and started to walk back to his car. "I have to call Callie." Felina whispered urgently to her uncle. "It would be better for her to meet me anywhere but here. If she comes here Ann will know something's up."

Feral dug into his coat pocket and handed her the keys. "Take my car and call me once you've met Ms. Briggs. You two are not going anywhere without me."

Felina set her jaw stubbornly as she took the keys from her uncle's paw. He walked her up to the driver side of his car and opened the door for her. Before she got in she looked up at him with sad eyes. "What are you going to do when we find them?" she inquired in a hushed tone.

"I need to know what's going on and they'll fill me in on everything if they don't want to find themselves in even more trouble than they are already in." Feral informed her with a firm tone.

"They didn't do this, Uncle, I know it. Why would they just destroy everything they have? It doesn't make any sense" she hissed defensively.

"I'm not going to arrest them, Felina, if they have believable alibis."

"What will you do if they don't?" She snapped back.

Feral looked at her sadly. "Then I'll try to give them the benefit of the doubt until they can come up with one."

Felina studied her uncle's face for a brief moment before getting into the car. "I'll call you as soon as I have Callie."

Feral nodded and shut the car door for Felina while she pulled out her cell phone and started to dial Callie's phone number. He saw Ann making her way towards him, armed with her microphone and Johnny. He nodded to Felina and then walked towards Ann, allowing Felina to get out of the salvage yard.

**20 minutes later….**

Felina drummed her fingers impatiently on the steering wheel of her uncle's sedan. The parking lot around her was desolate and silent, making the minutes pass by as if they were hours. She looked down at her watch and sighed edgily when seeing the time. "Come on Callie." She growled under her breath. Her cell phone rang unexpectedly in her paw, startling her. "Good grief" she hissed to herself, irritated by her own anxiety. She flipped open her phone and tried to answer in her usual tone "yes?"

"Felina, has Miss Briggs met you yet?" her uncle's voice crackled through.

"No" she gruffly replied, "she should be here any minu…..oh here she is. She just pulled up beside me." Felina's eyes followed Callie's glistening emerald green car intently as it pulled up alongside her.

"Alright. Call me back when you contact them" came his brusque command.

"Yes sir." She answered briskly before snapping her phone shut. Felina shifted in her seat as the passenger door opened, allowing Callie to get in. "Sorry I'm late. I wanted to get changed out of my dress suit." She explained breathlessly as she sat to face Felina.

"Don't worry about it. We just need to get a hold of the boys now."

Callie's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why, what's wrong?"

Felina closed her eyes and sighed wearily. "That's right, you haven't seen the recent news report have you?"

"No I haven't. I left the office as soon as I got your call."

"Callie, the entire salvage yard is up in flames. It's really bad."

"What?" Callie exclaimed as she gripped the back of her seat with her left paw.

Felina shook her head. "I just came from there, and the fire chief said that Burke and Murray reported it when they heard explosions coming from there. When they got there they saw the Turbokat take off from the back where we know the hangar entrance is. That's all I know."

Callie grabbed her purse and rummaged through it before pulling out the communicator. Before she could press the button, Felina grabbed the paw holding the communicator.

"Before you call them there is something you have to know."

Callie looked at her friend worriedly "What is it?"

Felina swallowed, knowing that she wasn't going to be able to break the news to Callie gently. "My uncle knows who they are and when we meet them, my uncle is coming with us."

Callie's eyes widened in shock as her mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.

**Meanwhile…**

T-Bone breathed in sharply when Razor touched the grappling hook that was embedded in his shoulder.

"Sorry bud" Razor grimaced when he saw the pained expression flash across the tabby's face.

"It's okay" T-Bone muttered through clenched teeth.

Razor shook his head as he took a step back from T-Bone. "I'm afraid to take it out. I don't want to make it any worse than it already is."

Before T-Bone could reply, the alarm sounded off unexpectedly, startling both of the already jumpy Swat Kats.

"Great" T-Bone hissed as he held the side of his wounded shoulder with his good paw.

Razor walked up to the Turbokat, jumped up onto the wing and leaned inside the cockpit, "Yes Callie, what is it?" he answered irritably.

"Where are you?" demanded Callie's worried tone through the speaker.

"We're at the hangar" came his quick reply, not sure yet as to how he would tell Callie what happened.

He heard Callie laugh disbelievingly. "Really?" came the unconvinced reply.

Razor looked back at T-Bone, who just shook his head "Why does it sound like you don't believe me?" Razor snapped back, despite his best efforts not to let stress and frustration get the best of him.

"Because the salvage yard is currently being consumed by fire, and I seriously doubt you guys would be alive if you were in the hangar." Felina's voice answered.

Razor froze in horror "What?" he stammered dumbly as he looked back at T-Bone who was just as shocked as he was. Before Felina could reply he jumped down from the Turbokat and ran up to the flat screen TV they had hanging on the wall. Grabbing the remote he turned it on to the news, and what the screen showed made the remote slip through Razor's limp fingers.

A bird's eye view was being showed of the salvage yard as the news chopper circled it from a short distance. The fierceness of the roaring flames that engulfed the shop danced vividly in Razor's wide amber eyes, making them glow like scarlet embers as he stared at the screen, incapable of speech.

Even though he heard T-Bone slowly stand up from the crate he was sitting on he didn't acknowledge it as T-Bone walked up behind him, staring at the TV in disbelief.

The silence that followed made Felina and Callie glance at each other in worry. "They didn't know." Callie whispered

"Then why were they seen flying away from the salvage yard when it was started?" Felina pressed.

"Razor!" Callie called out, "Razor answer me!"

"Shush. I hear them talking." Felina hissed. They both grew silent as they strained to hear what Razor and T-Bone were talking about.

"**_They_** did it" They heard Razor laugh as the shock started to wear off. "THOSE BASTARDS!" he cursed loudly.

Callie and Felina blinked in shock. They had never heard either Razor or Jake curse before. "Razor, who are you talking about?" Felina demanded.

It grew silent on the other end, making the girls all the more worried "Razor? T-Bone?" she pressed.

They heard some shuffling on the boy's end before Razor answered wearily "Where are you two?"

"In the Central High school parking lot."

"Does one of you have a cell phone?"

"We both do" Callie replied as she grabbed her phone out of her purse.

"Alright. Callie I'm going to send you the coordinates to our secondary hangar. That's where we are."

Callie nodded as she flipped open her phone and waited to receive his message.

After a moment of silence Felina cleared her throat "Guys, my uncle is demanding to know whats going on and he's bound and determined to come with us."

Razor paused momentarily in typing out the coordinates on the jets computer and closed his eyes after Felina said this. He looked back up and looked over at T-Bone who just held his face in his good paw. Razor could tell that his friend's energy was draining fast.

"Alright" He sighed as he sent the message "While you're at it bring an emergency kit from Enforcer headquarters. T-Bone needs it bad."

Felina swallowed. "What happened?"

Razor paused for a moment before answering. "I'll tell you when you three get here."

Before Callie or Felina could say anything Razor hung up without a further word said, leaving them in the deafening silence in the squad car.

**Several minutes later…**

Feral stood leaning against the squad car he had commandeered from one of his other lieutenants, staring blankly at the blazing garage when he felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket. Glancing around him to make sure no one was too close; he grabbed it out of his coat and answered it. "This is Feral." He answered gruffly, making it look like he hadn't been expecting a call.

"We contacted them and got the coordinates to where their second hangar is" Felina briskly informed him.

"They have a second hangar? Well, how convenient." He muttered impassively, unknowingly making his niece's face turn red.

"If your mind is already made up then I'm not taking you" came her sharp reply.

Feral breathed in deeply. "Alright fine. Were do you want me to meet you?"

"At headquarters. I need to pick up some supplies."

"Supplies?" Feral raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?"

Felina looked over at Callie, who was leaning her elbow the door panel of the car just staring out the window before replying "I'm not entirely sure but they need our help."

"I'll be there in 15 minutes. Get everything you need and then wait for me in my chopper. If anyone is suspicious just tell them you're following my orders and if they have any questions to call me on my cell."

"Yes sir. We'll be waiting for you."

Feral snapped his phone shut and placed it back into his pocket as he stood up to his full height. "Phillips, something has come up at headquarters. I'm leaving you to oversee everything and if you have any questions call me on my cell."

Lieutenant Phillips saluted as Feral walked passed him. "Yes sir." He watched as Feral got into the squad car and promptly drove out of the salvage yard, thinking to himself how odd it was that he wasn't bellowing for them to find the enforcers that ran the salvage yard, Lieutenants Chance Furlong and Jake Clawson.

**15 minutes later…**

Felina had just effortlessly executed the routine check of the chopper's operating system when Feral stepped out onto the launch pad. Not a word passed between the three of them as Feral got in and sat in his seat while nodding to Felina to take off.

Callie felt the chopper lift off under her feet as Felina guided the chopper swiftly into the air. Shortly, they were gliding over the tops of the city's skyscrapers, heading towards the distant, foggy outline of the mountains.

**Meanwhile...**

Her impassive, azure eyes followed the Turbokat as it landed on the runway leading into the hidden cave the Pastmaster had found in the desert. As the Turbokat's engines shut down, the canopy slid back, allowing the dark Razor and T-Bone to jump out.

"How was it boys?" the dark Callie purred as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Don't tell me you haven't been watching the news" Razor sighed as he removed his glovatrix from his paw.

Callie rolled her eyes. "Of course I've been watching the news. I just want to know what happened in the hangar."

"They were just two little kittens scared out of their wits" T-Bone smirked "They ran and got into their jet like their tails were on fire."

Callie chuckled at this "do you have any idea where they went?"

Razor shrugged carelessly "That wasn't a part of the plan. Right after they took off we doused the hangar, house and garage with gasoline."

"Then we lit a match" T-Bone grinned maliciously.

Callie scowled "Did you guys even think about grabbing some of their weapons first? Or did that escape your tiny little brains?"

Razor's mouth twisted into a snarl "Apparently, we should have been more specific. Of course we emptied their arsenal, the Turbokat is packed."

Callie smirked as she studied the irritated Razor "Don't get your tail in a bunch, I was just asking."

"Where's gnome face?" T-Bone growled impatiently as he looked around in search of the Pastmaster's presence.

"He had something to take care of while the city was distracted" Callie replied stiffly "So that gives you plenty of time to unload to jet and put everything away."

"How fitting." T-Bone mumbled as he stalked over to the Turbokat with Razor following reluctantly after him.

**Meanwhile…**.

"Are you sure you have the right coordinates?" Feral asked as he looked over his shoulder at Callie, before looking back at the waterfall before them.

"Yes." Callie replied huffily. "He wouldn't have given me false coordinates."

Felina had the helicopter hovering several feet away from the waterfall. "This is so weird." Felina muttered as she stared at the waterfall expectantly, waiting for it all to make sense.

"Wait, look! It's splitting" Callie shouted over the sound of the chopper's engine Felina guided the chopper further back as the waterfall was split down the middle by two massive steel doors.

Feral arched an eyebrow once the large, lit runway was visible.

"Impressive" came the impassive remark, making Felina and Callie roll their eyes. Felina then cautiously guided the chopper into the hidden hangar. Once the chopper was all the way inside, the steel doors slowly slid back into place, allowing the water to fall back like a heavy silk curtain to once again conceal the entry of the hangar. The ragged stone walls were lit with dull orange lights that strangely illuminated the dark cave and at the end of the runway was the brighter light of the hangar.

As the chopper approached into the vast main cavern, the damaged Turbokat came into view as it sat on its pad.

"It's worse than I thought" Felina remarked darkly as she studied the jagged tears along the jet's left side that sliced right into its third engine. She set the chopper down a safe distance from the Turbokat and turned it off. Callie tore off her buckle, jumped out of the chopper and over to Jake as he approached.

Callie threw herself at him, making him stumble back unexpectedly. Callie, after briefly squeezing the life out of him, pulled back and looked at his head wound in horror. "Jake, what happened?" her voice was full of concern as she rested her paw on his cheek. "It's nothing. It looks worse than what it really is" came as his dismissive reply.

Jake, who had earlier taken off his mask and helmet, looked up from Callie as Feral and Felina approached. Feral's look was that of scarcely contained anger while Felina looked at him questioningly. Her inquisitive look, however, melted from her face as she saw Chance walk up alongside the Turbokat and lean up against it in exhaustion.

Feral's expression betrayed his shock as he watched Felina run up Chance. "What…how….why?" he stammered as he glared at Jake, clearly expecting an answer.

"You undoubtedly have a lot of questions, Commander, and I will explain the whole situation to you after Chance is attended to."

Feral noted the pleading look in Jake's eyes and simply nodded as he walked up to Chance. He tried not to grimace when he got a good look at Chance's wound while at the same time noticing that the grappling hook looked familiar.

"Did one of your glove things go off unexpectedly?" he inquired with a dry tone.

"Does it look like I did this to myself?" Chance hissed while giving Feral a poisonous glare.

Feral frowned "It's been known to happen" he shot back.

"To your men maybe," Chance replied quietly in annoyance.

"No Commander. None of our glovatrix's misfired. It was fired from one very similar to ours however" Jake informed him, trying to stop his voice from shaking angrily.

"Well, hopefully you haven't lost the use of your arm" Feral stated as he looked over Chance's shoulder "The sooner we get that out the better."

"If he wanted to maim me he would have easily." Chance grimaced as Feral touched the tip of the grappling hook that was protruding out of the back of the tabby's shoulder.

"He?" Felina pressed, raising an eyebrow "Do you guys have some psycho copy kat stalkers or something?"

"Funny you should say that" Chance chuckled before hissing in pain "Hey, hey watch what you're doing!" He shot a glare at Feral who was trying to figure out how to remove the grappling hook.

"It's going to hurt no matter what I do" Feral snapped "Let's sit him down over there. I'm going to need everyone's help in order to get this out."

"Great." Chance mumbled as he let Felina lead him to the seat Feral pointed out. He slowly sat down in the seat and watched Feral look around for something specific. Felina walked up behind the tense tabby and started to rub the back of his neck to relieve some of the tension.

"Clawson, do you have a large set of cable cutters?" Feral asked once he and Callie set out the emergency kits on a nearby table.

Chance's eyes grew wide. "Cable cutters?" he moaned.

Jake nodded "Yeah."

"Get them." Feral ordered, ignoring the fact that Chance was getting a little nervous.

"Ahh man, this is going to hurt." Chance sighed as he closed his eyes.

Jake pulled the cable cutters out of a supply cabinet and carried them over. "Are you sure that these will work?" he asked hesitantly as he glanced down at the sharp metal beak.

"Do you have any other suggestions as to how we're going to get the hook out without inflicting any further harm?" Feral demanded while giving Jake and inquisitive look.

"No." Jake grumbled as he handed the cutters over to Feral.

"Go get the anesthetic ready" Feral instructed Jake as he nodded over at the table where everything was laid out. Jake filled the needle with the numbing agent while Feral sterilized the cutters.

"Alright Furlong, In order for us to get that out as quickly as possible, your going to need to relax. The anesthetic will help."

Chance nodded and took a deep breath as Jake inserted the needle into his shoulder and injected the anesthetic.

**Sorry guys about the abrupt ending, but I assure you chapter nine is not long in coming...it will probably be posted sometime this week. NO later than Sunday I promise. Thanks again for your patience. I hope I havent lost your interest. :D Till Chapter 9!**


	9. The Mysterious Woman

Dear Readers,

So sorry about the too long of a wait. College and work has once again claimed my soul. I've been piecing this together slowly over the past couple of months and I have finally composed enough scenes to piece together into a chapter. WooHoo!! Okay, this chapter is going to be the last slow chapter, since every chapter after this one is going to be action, suspense and romance megaGASP Finally!! I know thats what your all thinking, and frankly, I cannot blame you. Thank you Peri Of the Elves for getting my arse in gear, Tigerkat, Ulyferal, and all my other readers on the forum and on here for your support. I can only hope that you guys havent lost interest in this story.

Thanx again guys, I hope you enjoy!! :

Etherweil

**Chapter 9**

**Chance stared off into space while Felina gently wrapped his shoulder. Feral picked up the severed pieces of the blood stained grappling hook and threw it away before turning back to Chance, seeing that Felina had finished.**

**"Can you move your arm?" Feral asked.**

**Chance looked back at the Commander and nodded. His face twisted in pain as he slowly lifted his whole arm from his shoulder and then lowered it back down to rest on his lap.**

**Feral shook his head "You're lucky you can still move your arm. I'm surprised, actually."**

**"He just wanted to hurt me as much as possible without hurting my ability to fly," Chance growled.**

**"Ah yes 'he'," Feral grabbed a stool from underneath the work table and pulled it in front of where Chance and Jake where sitting, so that he could see both of their faces at the same time. "You two owe me one believable explanation."**

**Jake took the cold rag Callie handed him and put it against his bandaged head wound. "I think it's a good thing you're sitting down, commander."**

**"Alright," Feral sighed as he settled on his seat and crossed his arms "You have my undivided attention."**

...

**"…The origin of this fire is still unknown to authorities. Fire Chief Andrew Stripeson says that at this point it is too premature to differentiate between whether it was an unfortunate accident or foul play. Word on the whereabouts and condition of Enforcers Christian Furlong and Jacob Clawson has not yet been released but we've been assured by Enforcer Commander Ulysses Feral that more detailed information will be released tomorrow. Tune in to the morning edition for the complete story. This is Ann Gora, Kat's Eye News wishing you all a good nig…" The TV screen faded to black at the command of the remote Dark Callie held in her paw. **

**"So in other words their whereabouts are unknown," Dark Razor stated as he leaned against the worktable to the right of the TV.**

**"That is of no significance," The Pastmaster sniffed dismissively. "The next stage of the plan will be executed as planned."**

**"Wait, I thought that that stage included us beating the stuffing out of them again," Dark T-Bone protested.**

**"Trust me, you'll get your chance. We'll draw them out, they won't be hiding for long once we've put our next piece into play…"**

**For the first time, the other three were doing the same thing as they listened intently while the Pastmaster explained what they were to do next, Razor couldn't help but feel his throat tighten as he laid it all out in his head. It seemed too cruel, even for him. He only heard the deep tremor of T-Bone's voice as he gave his approval to the plan, not the actual words being spoken.**

**T-Bone, Callie, and the Pastmaster looked over at him to catch the glazed look briefly evident in his eyes.**

**"What's the matter Razor? Having second thoughts?" Callie purred.**

**Razor shot her a look. "Never." **

**T-Bone narrowed his eyes. Razor's words could easily dismiss the doubts of the other two, but he wasn't convinced. **

...

**Callie observed Feral's unreadable expression. The silence that engulfed them had remained unbroken since Jake and Felina helped Chance to a cot in the back of the hangar. The pressure from everything that had occurred was becoming an unbearable weight on her mind and the silence wasn't helping.**

**"Commander," her voice gently intruded, snapping Feral out of his trance. Callie noticed that although Feral's eyes where steadied upon her face, they still maintained a faraway look, his pupils foggy with the thoughts stirred up from the depths of his disturbed conscience.**

**She blinked and attempted to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat before speaking. "We have to come up with a cover about the salvage yard fire for the press tomorrow before we can proceed with anything else."**

**Feral nodded, the defined muscle of his clenched jaw twitching as his eyes fell upon the damaged TurboKat parked a few feet away from them. "Yes. Of course. I'll work on that as soon as we return to the city."**

**Callie frowned at his brisk reply. "Are you alright?" she asked quietly.**

**Feral looked down at her with his troubled eyes, but before he could answer Felina and Jake returned. **

**Callie dropped her previous inquiry and turned her attention to Jake. "How is he?" **

**"He's good. He'll be even better once he gets some rest." Jake sighed as he and Felina stopped in front of her and Feral.**

**"You need to rest as well," she replied with a concerned tone.**

**Jake nodded as he placed his paws in his pants pockets with unspoken resignation. "I will."**

**"It would be best if we left now for the city so we can figure out how to sort through this mess before the press and the public won't be suspicious about the fire," Feral spoke gruffly "and once I've come up with a believable alibi for you two we'll try to figure out what do to about the other Swat Kats."**

**Felina looked at her uncle, "But how can we be sure that they won't do anything?"**

**"Then, we should also be prepared for the worse case scenario," Jake stated simply**

**"Which would be?" Felina looked at him expectantly.**

**"Well, for starters they could take City Hall hostage, terrorize the blind and the lame, steal candy from innocent kittens…or destroy Enforcer HQ…again. Take your pick, I got more."**

...

**Next Day….**

**6:00 a.m On the Steps of Enforcer HQ.**

**"Commander Feral, Do you know how the fire that destroyed half of MegaKat City Salvage Yard was started?" Ann Gora had her microphone right in Feral's face, much to his annoyance. **

**Feral cleared his throat as he gently pushed the microphone off to the side. "The cause of the incident is unknown at this time. However, faulty wiring is suspected to be the cause."**

**"And what is the condition of Enforcers Christian Furlong and Jacob Clawson?"**

**"They are currently being treated for their injuries at a medical facility," came the nonspecific reply. **

**"Are they suspected in any way to have a part in the salvage yard fire?"**

**"No, they are not. There has been no evidence of foul play. Like I said before, faulty wiring is suspected."**

**Ann narrowed her eyes slightly before asking her last question. "It's been said that the Swat Kats were spotted at the scene of the fire before the fire officials arrived. What do you have to say about this allegation Commander Feral?" **

**Feral blinked, taken aback. No doubt this 'alleged rumor' was a result of Burke and Murray unable to contain themselves. A muscle twitched in Feral's jaw as he quickly came up with a probable reply. "I don't know where you heard this rumor, Miss Gora, but it is the first time I've heard of it. They were probably looking for another chance to make another glorified presence on the news. However, if they had something to do with this fire then they will pay the consequences and be brought to justice."**

**Ann regarded Feral's response carefully. "Thank you Commander **

**Feral for your time, we all look forward into hearing more about the Salvage Yard fire." Turning to the camera she finished her report, "This has been Ann Gora, Kat's Eye News."**

**Feral waited for Johnny to lower his camera, "If you'd excuse me Miss Gora, I have some business that needs to be attended to."**

**"Of course, Commander. We'll be talking to you later." Ann smiled a little too understandingly, Feral thought as he walked off towards his sedan. **

**Ann watched Feral walk away towards his squad car with a suspicious look lurking in her eyes. **

**"What's wrong Ann?" Johnny asked, noticing that all too familiar look. **

**"Something's up Johnny. Commander Feral isn't telling us the entire story****."**

"**Oh." Johnny followed Ann's gaze as she watched Feral drive off.**

**"But that won't be the case for long." Ann smirked, "I always find out what's happening in Megakat city, and there is something about that fire he doesn't want anyone to know."**

**Johnny rolled his eyes as soon as Ann turned and walked off towards the news van. "Here we go again."**

...

**Meanwhile…**

**Chance woke up to the soft sound of the TV echoing throughout the hanger along with the sound of metal brushing against metal. Catching a peek at the clock, he shifted uncomfortably onto his back and lay there staring up at the ceiling for a moment. His shoulder hurt like heck, and it made him nervous that he had this kind of injury while their evil alternates were wreaking havoc. Using his good arm, he slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. 'If I know Jake," he thought to himself 'he's been working on the jet all night by himself.' Chance swung his legs off the side of the bed and slowly stood up, waiting for his vision to clear. **

**When he walked out, he looked over at the TV to see Commander Feral being interviewed about the fire, and the fact that the rumor of the Swat Kats being at the scene. Chance scowled at Ann's question. No doubt this was what their alternates wanted, was for the 'Swat Kats' to be doubted by the city. **

**"Well, that's one point for them." Chance looked over at the jet where the voice came from, to see Jake standing there in a pair of coveralls while taking off his gloves. "You should be resting." He added.**

**Chance shrugged mostly with his good shoulder, "I've rested enough. You don't need to be working on the jet by yourself."**

**"I've almost fixed the gashes on the wing and side. All I need to do is replace the heat shielding then re-paint it."**

**"Don't you mean 'we'?"**

**"Chance…"**

**"It's not that bad!"**

**"'Not that bad'? Right because having your shoulder torn up by a grappling hook is no big deal, of course. I mean, it's just that you can't raise your arm past your shoulder in order to use a wrench to fix the Turbokat."**

**"Meanie-head." Chance mumbled and he skulked off with his arms crossed, sort of.**

**Jake merely shook his head as he returned to work.**

...

**Several Hours Later…**

**Downtown Megakat City was alive and bustling with its usual late morning traffic. A trench coat-clad brunette stepped out of a yellow cab onto the concrete sidewalk. She lowered her Dolce & Gabanna shades to survey the stately building before her. Pressing them back into place, she ascended the steps towards the revolving doors. As she entered the lobby she gave an enigmatic smile to the security guard standing at his post, instantly winning him over. It was only until the doors were closing on the elevator that the guard realized he had forgotten to check her ID. **


	10. A Dark Secret Revealed

Hello Everyone! OMG its been so long since I've updated. I am so sorry. I've recently went off for college and I am now living in another state (I just moved last month) so that took alot of time away from me working on this. However, I just got caught up in all of my homework and I whipped out this chapter today. Chapter 11 is already on its way, hopefully, I'll have it posted by the end of this week. For a while there I had major issues with a terrible case of writers block, but a recent spell of inspiration persuaded me to get this chapter done. Hopefully this story won't be much longer in the stage of completion, its taken too long already to be finished. I already have another fic planned after this one so I'm excited to move on to something new. Until then, I hope you all find this enjoyable.

Thank you all for your patience!

Etherweil

CHAPTER 10

A Dark Secret Revealed

Callie could envision her task list as she walked briskly down the main hallway back to her office. She had just returned some paperwork to the mayor's desk and was preparing herself for the next task at hand. The windows facing the main street on her right were open, allowing the sounds of the city to mingle with ringing phones and chatter of the office.

As she continued walking, what sounded like a collected gasp from thousands of katizens caught Callie's attention, making her stop in her tracks. She slowly turned towards the window and approached it, as the sound of incoherent gasps grew louder and more anxious. It was then that Callie heard the distant rumble accompanied by frantic shrieks and screams. She looked down upon the street to see some people pointing down the street while others started to run in the opposite direction.

Callie leaned against the window ledge and leaned out to look in the direction of the apparent concern. Her eyes grew wide with fear when she saw the unmistakable sleek red and black body of a jet rapidly approaching City Hall, while, much to her horror firing missiles into every other building on the way. She quickly ducked away from the window and dashed down the hallway towards the 6th story lobby.

"Everyone get away from the windows! Get under your desks!" she managed to scream before the entire building violently shuddered, and the earsplitting sound of shattering glass and a passing jet deafened everyone.

Soon, the sound of wailing sirens rent the air as the enforcer's hastened to city hall.

**Meanwhile…**

Jake stepped back to look over the new sections of the heat shield he had just finished installing. He sighed wearily as he finally accepted the job as being good enough and turned away from the jet. Their flat-screen TV was still on and currently on the news where Ann Gora surveyed the damage of downtown Mega Kat City in shock. Jake was putting away his tools when he caught the faint, urgent voice of Ann Gora, making him stop to look up at the TV. The chaos being showed on live television made Jake's heart skip a beat.

"No, not so soon!" Jake moaned as he grabbed the remote to turn up the volume, so that Ann Gora's panicked voice flooded his ears. "…the Swat Kats just attacked downtown Mega Kat city and City Hall. Commander Feral has just issued an emergency evacuation of downtown…"

Ann's voice gradually faded into a low, incoherent hum that filled Jake's ears, blocking out any other sound as he stood there in shock as the New's chopper flew over the damaged part of downtown. The sight of burning and smoking buildings, fleeing katizens and roads crammed with unmoving cars filled his vision. It was only when Jake felt someone gently shaking his shoulder that he came back to reality with Ann's voice nearly deafening him. Chance grabbed the remote from Jake's paw and turned down the volume.

"Sorry, I didn't realize I turned it up that loud." Jake muttered, still staring at the TV screen.

Chance shook his head. "We need to get down there. And when I say 'we' I mean 'we' as in team because I'm not letting you go by yourself."

Jake looked at Chance with a determined look in his eyes. "I know." He stated as he walked over to a pair of lockers close to the TurboKat. Jake opened one and pulled out a new flight suit and mask before turning back to Chance. "Let's go kick their tails out of our city."

**Back at City Hall…**

"This isn't good uncle." Felina whispered to a frowning Feral. Feral just grunted as he looked past the fleeing katizens to City Hall. Among the last to come running out of City Hall was a hysterical Mayor Manx.

"Hallllppp!" He wheezed as he stumbled down the steps, nearly running into Feral.

"Mayor, compose yourself." Feral couldn't help but growl as he put his giant paws on Manx's quaking shoulders. Manx whimpered as he looked around at the smoking buildings. Feral gently shook him, bringing the overwhelmed elderly kat back to his senses. "Mayor, where is Miss Briggs?"

"Manx shook his head at the memory. "She's still inside. She told meh ta go ahead…that…that she would get the papahs."

"Alright, thank you Mayor. Now if you'll go with my men…"

"Have the Swat Kats made any demands yet?" Manx sobbed, looking directly at Feral.

Feral blinked in surprise, but quickly recovered. "No Mayor, not yet. But everything is under control I assure you."

Manx groaned and closed his eyes. "Thay're going ta destroy mah citah." He whimpered while he quickly shuffled off towards the squad car Feral had directed him to. Feral looked at Felina, who was looking at him with resentment in her eyes. "We have to stop them uncle," her voice trembled barely above a whisper, "before the whole morale of the city is destroyed."

Feral nodded. "We will, you can be sure of that." Feral growled as he motioned his team to approach him so that they could prepare to enter City Hall.

**Meanwhile, inside City Hall…**

The heavy office door came flying open and slammed against the wall, allowing Callie to enter. She ran up to her desk, yanked open the bottom drawer to get her purse while, at the same time, grabbing the thick file lying on her desk. Just as quickly as she entered, she ran back out to the hallway without even bothering to shut or lock her door.

Walking briskly down the hallway, she tried to keep herself calm and collected. _**I****t's all going to be fine**._ She told herself repeatedly, trying to ignore the eerie shadows that lingered on the walls around her. _**They're just trying to scare…** _her thoughts were shattered when the sound of footsteps approached from behind her.

Callie stopped abruptly, her heart hammering violently in her chest as she heard the footsteps stop as well. Her eyes slowly glanced over to her right and then to her left as she listened to the deafening silence that hung thick and suffocating around her. She quickly turned around, only to see an empty hallway occupied by shadows. _You're letting this all get to you…_ she scolded herself as she turned back and continued down the hallway. Almost half way down the hall, the footsteps once again stalked her, making the breath in her chest catch in her throat as her heart briefly stopped beating. Taking in a deep breath to calm herself, she quickened her pace while trying to contain the sheer panic that was struggling to be released.

As she neared the doorway to the lobby she tucked the file under her arm tightly before breaking into a run and into the false security of the dark lobby. Callie ran over to a desk nearest to the wall and jumped underneath it, concealing herself with the shadows it created. Closing her eyes while leaning her head back against desk, she listens to the quickly approaching footsteps. As they grew louder, Callie opened her eyes and listened closely, noticing that the footsteps had a distinct, sharp sound to them, as if her pursuer was wearing heels. Callie's eyes narrowed as the approaching heels grew louder, bouncing off the walls and crashing down around her, mingling with the steady throb of her heart. And then, they suddenly stopped, as if their owner had paused at the doorway of the lobby, waiting. The distinct footsteps continued to echo eerily throughout the room until they vanished into the dusty air, sending the room into an absolute stillness.

Callie's grip on her purse tightened as she listened intently, waiting for the silence to be broken by any movement from her mysterious pursuer.

Nothing.

Callie licked her dry lips and swallowed, trying to alleviate her throat from some of its dryness as she looked across the dusky room towards the stairwell that would grant her escape. Callie briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm her heart as she made up her mind about her next move. Before she could give herself the time to second-guess plan of desperation, she jumped up from her hiding place and made a mad dash for the stairwell.

She reached out her paw towards the door-handle that was only inches away, but was grabbed by her arm and viciously pulled back and thrown onto the floor. Callie hit the ground, hard, landing directly on her back resulting in the air being knocked out of her lungs. Dazed and hurting, Callie looked up at her attacker only to be shocked with who she saw standing before her. "Why?" she heard herself sob as she trembled at his feet, but before he could answer her, she heard the footsteps approach from behind.

She slowly turned her head to look at her pursuer only to have her eyes that were already filled with unshed tears grow wide. "No." she sobbed again. "Please don't do this…."

**_Moments later..._**

The stairway door was kicked open by Feral, while Felina and the rest of the team stood by with their blasters at ready.

"Clear." Felina confirmed before stepping foot into the lobby, with Feral and the rest of the team following after her. The room before them lay in complete darkness, save for the dim golden squares of light emitted through the shades that were pulled down over the shattered windows. Small beams of light from the enforcer's flashlights pierced through the darkness to reveal jagged glass shards and papers scattered all over the floor in silent chaos.

"Strange." Feral muttered to himself as he studied the covered windows. "Why are the window shades down?"

Felina slowly walked in further, the sound of glass and paper crunching underneath her boots. Feral stood there for a moment as the team slowly advanced ahead of him. The hairs on the back of Feral's neck swiftly rose when the sound of the stairwell door behind him creaked. "Stop!" Feral hissed ahead to his team, but it was too late. The silence of the room was broken by the sound of the heavy metal door slamming shut. Silence came upon them just as fast as it had been interrupted, only the sound of their heaving breathing could be heard.

"Someone else is in here." Feral heard one of his men whisper before the deafening sound of a blaster going off repeatedly erupted around him as small flashes of light pierced the darkness. Feral cursed to himself as he heard the unmistakable sounds of a struggle along with the misfire of his teams blasters break out into utter unseen chaos. Before Feral could take any action, something hard came crashing onto the back of his head, allowing the darkness around him to be complete.

Razor and T-Bone both landed into a defensive crouch on the City Hall rooftop and listened to their surroundings intently. Only to slowly stand up once they were positive that no one had detected them.

**Several minutes later...**

"I don't like being so far away from the jet." T-Bone growled as they walked toward the stairway door.

"We didn't have a choice." Razor sighed. "Downtown is too closely watched, and we couldn't land here without raising a lot of hell with the enforcers."

"Geez, I knew that…it doesn't mean that I have to like the situation."

"And you think I do?" Razor hissed as he and T-Bone hid alongside the wall of the stairwell entrance. Razor looked down at the screen on his glovatrix to see Callie's signal still blinking.

"It's weird that she just turned on her alarm." T-Bone stated quietly, still a little suspicious that Callie didn't answer them back when they had tried to contact her.

"She's probably in a situation where she can't talk. Her signal is coming from the central conference room on the 12th floor." Razor replied stiffly as he stepped forward and opened the stairwell, glovatrix raised, making sure that the stairwell was cleared.

Motioning for T-Bone to follow after him, they both moved in and shut the heavy door quietly behind them. After activating their night vision, they proceed cautiously down the darkened stairwell until they reach the 12th story. Razor motioned for T-Bone to get behind them before he slowly opened the door leading into the lobby. The room before them lay silent and still as they entered, glovatrix's raised in expectation of company.

"It's too quiet in here and I don't like that." T-Bone growled as he looked about him with unease. Without even acknowledging T-Bone's comment Razor advanced down the hallway towards the conference room. T-Bone cursed silently to himself as he follows after his determined partner.

Nearing the conference room, Razor's paw shot up, signaling T-Bone to stop. The double doors to the conference room before them were slightly cracked, with no visible light coming from within the room. T-Bone just shook his head as Razor turned on his radar to see only three individuals who appeared to be tied up on the far wall opposite of the door. "Cover me." Razor mouthed to T-Bone as he opened one of the doors and proceed to move in. The tables and chairs were pushed over on the far left side of the room so that the middle of the room was completely cleared. Directly across from Razor and T-Bone sat Callie, Felina and Feral, tied up and gagged against the wall.

Leaving T-Bone to stand guard, Razor rushed over to Callie first and began to untie her gag. T-Bone then noticed that all Felina and Feral where shaking their heads and motioning their heads to the area behind T-Bone.

"Uh Razor…" T-Bone began, but was interrupted by Callie's scream "It's a trap!"

The double doors slammed shut, making T-Bone and Razor look behind them, to see the dark Swat Kats walking out from where they had been concealed by the shadows. T-Bone glanced quickly back at an angered Razor before looking back at their alternates with complete hatred evident in his expression.

"Cloaking device, handy for hiding from radar. Surprised that you didn't think about that Razor." Dark Razor sneered as they slowly advanced towards them.

Razor slowly stood up from where he had knelt in front of Callie and walked up alongside T-Bone, with a vicious determination burning in his eyes. Before anyone could blink, Dark Razor launched himself at Razor, pinning him to the ground on his back while T-Bone dodged Dark T-Bone's attack and managed to once again cable up his irate dark alternate. T-Bone turned quickly with his glovatrix raised at Dark Razor who, in return, pulled out an actual Gloch from its holster and taking aim at Feral without even flinching.

"Try me." Dark Razor smirked with a dangerous tone evident in his voice. T-Bone froze, enraged. "Lower your glovatrix." Dark Razor coolly instructed, with a smirk on his face that made his eyes glitter with fearless intent.

Gritting his teeth in rage, T-Bone lowered his glovatrix, pointing it to the floor. Dark T-Bone, who had finally managed to free himself from the cable walked up and shoved T-Bone to the ground in front of Feral and Felina.

"How touching," Dark Razor commented wryly, "to think, you, of all people would want to see Feral dead."

T-Bone looked up at Dark Razor and growled with murder in his eyes. "Obviously you don't know me."

"Ah, I think I do." Razor grinned in amusement. "See, I don't think you'd have the same outlook if you knew what we knew about him." Razor suddenly struggled underneath his alternate's vice-like grip, making Dark Razor push down even harder on Razor's neck with his foot. "Funny thing about dimensions," Dark Razor continued with a sadistic smile on his face when he heard Razor gasp for air, "they all seem to revolve around one universal problem."

Feral's brow furrowed at Dark Razor's words, but once his eyes met those of the dark Swat Kat, his heart skipped a beat. "You know all too well what I'm talking about dontcha?" Dark Razor purred when he caught the expression that spread across Feral's tired face. "Ah yes, he does."

"What are you talking about?" Razor managed to hiss spitefully despite the pressure on his chest and neck.

"Remember that incident that got us kicked out of the enforcers?" Dark T-Bone asked, his face twisted in anger at the memory that left a sour taste in his mouth.

"What about it?" T-Bone growled while shooting a glance over at Razor.

"It wasn't our fault that our jet crashed into Enforcer Headquarters, that was all part of his plan." Dark T-Bone stated distastefully while nodding in Feral's direction, "He and Dark Kat partnered up to get rid of us because we were too much of a nuisance, always ruining their plans."

T-Bone and Razor both looked over at Feral in disbelief. "What?" Razor managed to choke out.

"Believe it, Commander Ulysses Feral of the Enforcers was in cahoots with Dark Kat, the nation's most dangerous villain, and we were a threat, so they came up with a scenario that would get rid of us for good. He knew that nobody would believe us, that he was the one that rammed us with his jet, framing us with a several million debt, allowing him and Dark Kat to get away, blameless." Dark Razor snarled, his smile abruptly vanishing into his loathing sneer.

"Then why did you two team up with Dark Kat if he was one of the ones who set you up?" T-Bone demanded, trying to find doubt in this accusation.

Dark Razor and T-Bone both laugh. "He's always been the villain. Of course he'll screw you over, especially if your one of the good guys." Dark Razor scoffed, "I still don't trust Dark Kat, and he doesn't trust us. So what? Doesn't mean that we don't see him as a means to an end."

"It's the fact that Feral screwed us over, his own enforcers, his own pilots! And then after accusing us as being the traitors, the bad guys, he still professed to be the good guy, the noble, fearless leader of MegaKat City's protectors. His betrayal is a hundred times worse than that of Dark Kat's, because Dark Kat will admit that he's the bad guy, Feral doesn't have the guts to do that." Dark T-Bone snarled, shooting a look of an unfathomable hatred in Feral's direction.

"Why do you think we became what we are?" Dark Razor sneered, "Why even fight for something that doesn't even exist? As if justice, and goodness does in this world. It doesn't matter what dimension your from. It's all the same. You guys see everything, this life, this city…HIM, through rose-tinted glasses! You are the ones that are blinded to the truth, you're the ones who are lost."

"And do you even think that this city appreciates you guys?" Dark T-Bone jeered, "You'll see. You guys are nothing but a source of entertainment, freaks with fancy equipment and flight suits. Once a real problem emerges, they'll be all for getting rid of you guys, the vigilantes, just to get their perfect lives, their city back. There is no support, no loyalty there. They don't give a crud about what you guys have done for this city, once your use runs out, your nothing. You never mattered, they've never really cared."

The room lay in a cold silence that enveloped everyone, gripping them with an icy realization that made them numb to all emotion. After a moment, letting all that was said sink in, Dark Razor's smirk reappeared on his face. He leaned down closer to Razor. "Just something for you guys to think about before we destroy you. After all, this city is too small for two teams of Swat Kats."

For the first time, Dark T-Bone grinned wickedly. "Yeah, its about time that this city was showed what the real Swat Kats are capable of. Enough of all this kitten's play." With that, Dark T-Bone viciously kicked T-Bone in the back, making him collapse onto the ground completely.

Dark Razor pressed his foot down even more on Razor before taking his foot off of his alternate, who gasped and choked for air. The two dark Swat Kats walked away, T-Bone with his glovatrix, Razor with his glovatrix and Gloch raised as they backed out of the conference room. Just before stepping out of them room, Dark Razor added cheerfully "We'll be seeing you all later." And with that, they were gone; their mocking laughter echoing hauntingly in the conference room until it vanished with their owners.


	11. To Put Oneself Into Another's Shoes

I am so pleased with myself that I was able to get this one up in a timely fashion. A big thank you to Peri of the Elves for her wondrous editing skills and Ulyferal for just talking to me and helping my creativity flow. Chapter 12 is on the drafting board now and hopefully I'll get that up in a week or so like I did this chapter. Thanx again guys for your patience. Hope you enjoy!

Until chapter 12.

~Ether

Chapter 11

(To Put Oneself Into Another's Shoes)

Feral actually felt sick to his stomach once Felina had finished removing his bonds, and he had to look into T-Bone and Razor's enraged faces. He never envisioned having to tell them like this, under these terms. He could only imagine what they were feeling then. Disbelief, betrayal, justifiable rage?

"Uncle, tell me they were lying…" Felina's voice shook, "…tell me that none of it is true."

Feral closed his eyes and exhaled shakily as he let his head fall to his chest.

"Commander…." Razor persisted, trying not to let his varying emotions influence the tone of his already wavering voice.

Feral opened his eyes slowly and leaned his head back against the wall. He looked directly at Razor, Callie, Felina, before finally coming to a stop at T-Bone before replying. "I had no choice," came his unreadable reply.

The room lay silent for several tense moments. It was an appalled silence that soon turned into an atmosphere of icy abhorrence, accompanied by poisonous loathing waiting to overtake anyone who would allow it.

"You had…no choice?" T-Bone repeated slowly, his face darkening.

"So what they said is true then?" Razor questioned incredulously, "You set us up?"

"Uncle?!" Felina cried.

Feral breathed in deeply. "Like I said, I had no choice."

T-Bone jumped to his feet, his paws balled into trembling fists. Feral looked up into T-Bone's dark, enraged face. The past had been awakened, and it was coming with a full vengeance that was not to be doubted.

"You and Dark Kat? You two all along…this whole time?" He growled menacingly as he glared directly into Feral's face.

Razor shook his head as he stood up and walked closer to T-Bone. "So…our lives were pretty much ruined for no reason…we did nothing wrong, yet we're paying for everything?!"

Felina stood up in between Feral and the two furious Swat Kats. "Please just wait 'til he can explain himself…." Felina pleaded with them both.

"Wait!?" T-Bone roared, "Are you kidding me? My entire family refuses to acknowledge my existence because of what he accused us of!"

"Mine too." Razor growled scathingly.

"Please…" Felina put her paws gently against T-Bone's chest, only for them to be pushed away.

"Fine! Come on Feral! What is your excuse? We're all just dying to know!"

Feral stood up slowly and grabbed an upset Felina by her arm and pulled her back next to him. "I did it to protect Felina." Came his firm reply.

"What?" Razor's eyes narrowed as he looked from Feral to Felina.

"My brother Xavier, her father, was a very successful business man. He owned more than half of the buildings and businesses in MegaKat City. Over time, he became greedy and it corrupted him. He became involved with the Russian mafia, made some bad decisions and was soon dragged into the middle of their disputes. In their opinion, he knew too much to be kept alive." Felina looked up at her uncle in utter disbelief.

"My parents were killed in a car accident." She stated, incapable of showing any emotion.

"A car bomb." Feral corrected her softly as he squeezed her arm gently. "I wrote it off as an accident, a hit and run. They had thought that Felina had been in the car, but once they found out she was still alive, I feared for her life. I didn't know who to go to for help. In desperation, I went to Dark Kat, the only kat the mafia truly feared."

"He was responsible for all those deaths, he assassinated the entire mafia. Nobody could figure out who took them out." Razor recalled one of MegaKat City's most infamous homicide case.

Feral nodded. "In return for his services, I had to help him get past Pumadyne security."

"And we kept Dark Kat from getting what he needed, we always managed to chase him off before he could even get in." Razor added.

"Yes. I didn't expect for you two to be so successful. It was after that third time that Dark Kat demanded one last thing from me before our transaction was done for good. He wanted you two out of the picture."

"So you two staged that bombing of Enforcer Headquarters. You counted on us not backing down."

"You cannot image how hard it was for me to go through with it. I had been planning for you two to hit some other building, and I was just going to suspend you for a couple of weeks… but when your jet smashed into Headquarters, I…I couldn't just write it off with a two week suspension. I had no other choice."

T-Bone and Razor's rage had subsided by the time Feral was done with his explanation. Now, they couldn't feel anything at all.

"That's it then?" T-Bone asked no one in particular, his voice hushed.

"Chance…" Felina whispered as she took step forward, her paw outstretched towards him. T-Bone stepped back, holding up his hands in defense. The pain was evident in his eyes as he looked into Felina's. "No…not right now…I just need to…" with that T-Bone turned, walked across the room and out the door. Razor looked from Feral to Felina with sadness written all over his face before he turned and followed after his friend.

Callie, who had been silent for the entire confrontation, jumped up and ran after them. "Wait, Razor!"

Both Razor and T-Bone turned back to look at Callie, impatient to be on their way. "I know your guy's hangar isn't close to here and I know you're exhausted. Just find a safe place for the jet and stay at my place tonight. Besides, I really don't want to be by myself tonight."

T-Bone and Razor glanced at each other briefly before nodding.

After several moments passed, Felina finally spoke. "Why didn't you tell me the truth?" her voice was shaky and breaking with various emotions.

"You were too young when it happened. And then I couldn't bring myself to tell you later…I…I wanted you to remember your father with love, not hate."

Felina closed her eyes, sending tears to silently trace down her face. "I don't know what to think anymore." Came her wavering reply as she stared at the door. "I don't know what to say to him."

Feral placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry…I'll fix this." Came his determined reply.

___________________________

That Night…

Ann's eyes twinkled as her grip on the microphone tightened. The firefighter chief stood before them, arms folded across his chest as he revealed to an eager Ann the information Feral had told him to keep silent.

"Do you think it's a possibility that the Swat Kats started the Salvage Yard fire?"

The fire chief looked at her with an angry betrayal evident in his expression. "Do I think? You know, my answer to that question in the past would have been no, but after what they did today, yes. I actually believe that they started that fire. As to why, I don't know."

Ann nodded. "And what are your thoughts as to attack of downtown today?"

The fire chief shook his head. "My kids look up to those guys you know, and I admired them for what they stood for, for what they did. But now, after they betrayed the city like this I'm just angry, shocked, but angry. I never thought this day would come."

Ann forced a reassuring smile on her face. "Thank you, Fire Chief for your time. Do we have your permission to share this in the morning news?"

"The information yes, but I do not want anyone to know that it came from me, I want to keep my family safe."

"I understand. Thank you again sir."

Ann and Johnny walked out of the Fire Station into the devastated streets of a vacant downtown MegaKat city. Johnny opened the back of the news van to put his camera in its case while Ann got in the front passenger side seat. Ann was deep in thought when Johnny finally got into the driver's seat and started up the van. As Johnny pulled out into the street, Ann began to shake her head.

"What we've just learned is the makings of an excellent story, but it doesn't seem right. There is no reason why they'd be doing this. It wasn't even 2 days ago that they nearly killed themselves trying to kill that T-Rex."

Johnny shook his head as he drove the van down the vacant main street of downtown. "I don't know Ann. Maybe they're just tired of being the good guys you know."

"Right Johnny, like that makes sense. Remember that one time Dark Kat and Hard Drive hijacked their jet and set them up?"

"Yeah."

"What if that's the case this time? What if they're being framed?"

"Then they are sure taking their sweet time in fixing the problem then."

"Another question is why isn't Feral on a rampage trying to capture them? Something is up and he knows what it is." Ann continued her line of thought, totally ignoring Johnny's previous statement. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration, she fell quiet as they drove down the road in silence.

With a sudden screech of tires the van slid to an abrupt stop, jerking Ann back to reality. "Johnny! What in the world!?" Ann hissed.

"Look! Isn't that one of the Swat Kats motorcycles?" Johnny pointed towards the alleyway alongside of the museum, where a partially visible cyclotron sat parked in the shadows of the building.

Ann's eyes grew wide. "Turn off the van and grab your camcorder, quick!" She ordered as she opened her door and stepped out onto the sidewalk. Unable to grab his usual camera, Johnny grabbed his smaller camcorder alongside his seat and ran to catch up with Ann.

"Ann!!" Johnny groaned as they slowly walked past the cyclotron and towards a side door that was still opened. Ann, ignoring her friend, slowly opened the door and peeked around to see a dark, empty hallway. Motioning for Johnny to follow, she tiptoed inside and stood up against the wall. For a moment, they stood there as the sound of irritable voices faintly echoed throughout the massive hallways. After Johnny turned on the camcorder, they crept down the hallway toward the source of the voices. As the voices get louder, Ann realized that their owners are standing inside the Egyptian room. "What is it about that Egyptian room?" she thought to herself as she and Johnny crouched behind a display desk only a couple of feet away from the occupied room. Johnny slowly stretched his arm out around from their hiding place until they could both see the intruders on the small video screen.

"Razor and the Pastmaster?" Ann whispered in disbelief, as Johnny looked at her in equal shock. The Pastmaster was standing in front of a large, gilded mirror while a very angry Razor vented.

"What do you mean you're not going to send us back?" Razor growled dangerously.

"Plans change, mortal. After we dispose of the Swat Kats of this dimension there are others we need to visit and correct."

"No. That was not our agreement. Once we're done here, you are going to send us back."

"You want to go back to that terrible dimension? What for? There is nothing left for you there, this dimension is so much more desirable."

"No! This isn't my life, my home!"

"You have no home, let alone a life! If you do as I say you will have those things once again."

"How do I know that those plans won't change as well? You seem to change everything as you see fit!" Razor spat viciously, as he glared at the Pastmaster distrustfully.

"I do not have the time to deal with your baseless suspicions Swat Kat. Now go back to base and wait for my further instructions."

A seething growl rumbled in Razor's throat as he abruptly turned and stormed out of the room, too angry to notice the small red light following him until he disappeared around the bend of the hallway.

"Quickly, go back to the Pastmaster!" Ann hissed urgently. Johnny was just able to catch the Pastmaster stepping into a liquefied mirror surface, and as soon as he vanished the mirror promptly turned back to its original state, leaving Ann and Johnny stunned as they slowly stood from their hiding place.

_____________________________________

Meanwhile, in the upscale suburbs of MegaKat city…

T-Bone had managed to hide the TurboKat in the couple of acres of woods between the houses in the suburb, while Razor parked his modified cyclotron in Callie's garage…

Callie glanced at her wrist watch while she rubbed Jake's back with her other paw, trying to get him to relax somewhat. Chance was sitting on the edge of the hearth next to the blazing fire, his head in his paws as he stared down at the was leaning forward, staring at the coffee table before looking up into the fire across from him. The living room was silent except for the sound of the crackling fire and the steady tick of the mantel clock.

Callie sighed as she laid her head back against the back of the couch, looking at the back of Jake's head. "It'll turn out guys, I promise." She stated comfortingly, trying to lighten the despairing mood.

"You're so sure huh?" Jake sighed dejectedly, not taking his gaze away from the fire.

"You don't believe me?" Callie teased gently.

"It's kind of hard to."

Chance chuckled darkly. "We're screwed, there is no way around it. Our weapon supply is limited, we can't trust anyone, present company excluded of course, and everyone in the city is convinced that we're the bad guys. It's over…we're done."

The doorbell suddenly rang, making Jake and Chance to look up abruptly in the direction of the door. Callie's eyes narrowed as she slowly got up. "I'll be right back." The boys watched her walk off and run down the stairs to answer the door. It wasn't long before Callie returned, with Feral and Felina following after her.

Chance and Jake watched Feral sit in the armchair that was in between the hearth and the couch, while Felina sat down on the couch on the other side of Jake. Silence was absolute for a long moment before Feral finally cleared his throat and took the initiative.

"Under any other normal circumstance, I would give you guys your space and some more time to think, but we don't have that luxury right now."

Feral looked from Jake to Chance expectantly, but soon realized that neither one of them had anything yet to say.

"I am not going to sugarcoat this because I know that this was a part of their plan, to divide all of us. I just want you both to consider for a moment as to why your alternates are the way they are. My alternate probably dealt with the mafia the same way I did, and it resulted with them being kicked off the force. But, the difference is that they found out early on before they became the Swat Kats and they let themselves be consumed with hate, and instead of being the good guys, they became the bad guys to get back at me. Can you see how that could of happened?"

Jake and Chance looked at each other for a brief moment before Jake spoke up. "I hate to say this, but yes, I can see how that became a possibility."

Chance shook his head. "How could they let it get that far? I mean, see how they treat each other? I couldn't imagine treating you like that, let alone take out my anger on everyone in this city."

"Everyone has a little bit of darkness within them, some more then others, but never the less its there. The difference between you guys and them is that you didn't let your hate take over; you continued to do good even after that injustice. However, the question is what are you two going to do from here?"

Another long moment of silence befell the room before Chance stood up and looked directly at Feral. "At first, I did hate you for what you did to us. For a while it blinded me to the reason why you did what you did, but now…I can't hate you because you did it to protect someone you love and that was your only reason." Chance stopped and looked over at Felina. "And if it had been me, I would of done everything in my power to protect her as well."

Jake nodded in agreement. "I'm with Chance. We're nothing like our alternates and we never will be. You have nothing to worry about Commander."

Feral couldn't help but smile slightly as Felina stood up and walked up to Chance to hug him, and he hugged her back.

"We need to figure out what our next move is going to be before they can do anymore damage." Jake stated as he stood up from the couch.

"Yes we do." Feral sighed as he pulled out his ringing cell phone from his pocket. He raised an eyebrow as he looked at the caller ID in surprise.

"Who is it?" Felina asked after seeing his reaction.

"It's coming from the museum, from Dr. Simian's private line."

"She would still be there at this hour?" Callie asked in surprise.

Feral opened his phone and cleared his throat. "This is Feral...How can I help you Dr. Simian?"

Everyone watched Feral intently as his expression remained surprised. "What makes you think that they would be with me? ... Ann Gora has what?!"

Everyone exchanged glances curiously, wishing that they could hear what Abi was saying.

"…Yes…yes I'll be there as soon as I can." Feral hung up and looked up from his phone. "Chance, I need you to get back into your flight suit and to come with me and Felina. Jake, could you stay here with Ms. Briggs, just in case?"

"Yeah sure, but what is going on?"

"The silent alarm went off at the museum and Dr. Simian went over to check it out. She found the night guards knocked out and inside the museum she found Ann Gora and her cameraman. Apparently, they caught Razor and the Pastmaster fighting on tape and afterwards the Pastmaster vanishing into a mirror in the Egyptian room."

"Are you kidding me?" Chance groaned.

"I wish I was." Feral sighed.

"So that's how they got here, the Pastmaster used mirrors to get them here." Jake concluded.

"He can still do that even though Pagane is dead and the amulet is gone?" Chance asked, trying to piece it all together.

Jake shook his head. "Obviously he can, he must have found a way around that with his watch."

"Can you meet us at the museum?" Feral asked Chance as he pulled out his car keys.

"Yeah, I'll take the cyclotron."

__________________________________

20 minutes later…at the museum

Ann Gora and Johnny couldn't help but watch T-Bone warily as he walked into Abi's office.

"Hey T-Bone." Abi smiled.

"Hey." T-Bone smiled gratefully at her as he walked up to her desk, where Feral and Felina were already standing.

Ann looked back at the camcorder Johnny was holding in his paw before looking at the four that were looking at her expectantly.

"I must say Commander, it seems to me that you are protecting the Swat Kats…"Ann looked directly at T-Bone before looking back at Feral, "…and I want to know why, especially after what happened today."

"Show me that recording first and then I'll tell you." Came his patient reply.

Ann held out her paw for Johnny to give her the camcorder and then handed it to Feral. Feral turned it on and opened up the screen, to see that Johnny had already re-wound the recording. He pushed play and watched it with Felina and T-Bone on either side.

"We can use this to our advantage." T-Bone was the first one to speak after the recording was finished.

"Yes, yes we can." Feral agreed as he closed the screen and turned off the camcorder.

"Well?" Ann looked at them expectantly.

"Miss Gora, do you remember that time Hard Drive and Dark Kat hijacked our jet?" T-Bone asked.

Ann looked back at Johnny and then back at T-Bone, with a subtle smile on her face. "Yes, I remember that incident quite clearly."

_____________________________

Back at Callie's house…

Callie was watching Jake closely as he paced her living room. She fought to keep a scowl from her face as she pulled out her cell phone and started to text. Jake sighed as he stopped mid step and looked over at Callie, sitting back relaxed on her couch as her fingers flew across the keys of her phone.

"What are you doing?" Jake asked, a little surprised to see Callie texting this late at night.

An easy smile spread across Callie's face and she laid the Blackberry on the coffee table and looked back up at him. "Oh, I'm just texting my assistant. I've decided not to go into work tomorrow."

"Why not?"

Callie shrugged, the smile still lingering. "I've had a reasonably rough week and by the way things are heading it's going to be an even tougher couple of days. Tomorrow is going to be a crazy day."

"Yeah…right, it probably will be." Jake agreed as he looked back at the fire.

Callie pulled her legs up underneath her as she patted the couch cushion with her paw. "Come here, sit with me." She purred. Her expression didn't change when Jake sat beside her, oblivious. "You need to relax." She coaxed as she started to rub his back.

"I know. I'm just trying to see past all of this." He muttered, rubbing his face with his paws.

Callie studied him for a moment before she got up from the couch. "I'm going to go make us some tea okay…I'll be right back."

"You don't need to…I'm fine."

"No, you need a good cup of tea."

Jake smiled gently as he watched Callie walk out of the room. He was so thankful that he had her through this mess. His eyes fell upon her Blackberry still laying on the coffee table, and couldn't help but think that it was odd that she had been texting someone this late. But then again, a lot had been going on, she had a lot of things she needed to keep quiet. Jake looked back towards the entry of the kitchen where he heard the sink being turned on. Still, she wasn't acting like herself, something was off and he couldn't place it.

Callie grabbed the kettle and filled it up with water from the faucet, but left the water running while she put the kettle back on the stove. Looking over her shoulder briefly to make sure he wasn't there, she reached for her purse that was on the counter, opened it and pulled out a small syringe filled with a clear liquid. Looking back at the entryway, she put the syringe into the front pouch of her sweatshirt before she reached over and turned off the water.


	12. You Are The Same

Hey everyone,

I know its been a really long time since I've updated last. I just moved back to Alaska, and between unpacking, as always college, a new job, and internet connections issues its been nearly impossible for me to work on JR. But now that I'm settled in, and starting to get my head wrapped around everything I was able to whip this chapter out. I know this one is a little short both in length and character perspective, but I wanted to get something up A.S.A.P to let you guys know that I'm still working on it! I have started Chapter 13 already so hopefully everything goes according to the outlined plan. :D

Just want to give a special thanks to Ulyferal and Peri of the Elves for their beta-reading and further insight on this story. Also to a new reader Black Oracle who's awesome reviews have provided alot of motivation to get this sucker done so that I can move on to my other SK muse's!!

Hope this is worth the wait. :]]]]

Happy reading.

Chapter 12

'You Are The Same'

Serious doubts were forming as he played the day's events over in his mind's eye. At the time, he had been too immersed in the moment to even notice the small peculiarities that now started to contaminate his girlfriend's usual character, making his suspicions all the more demanding. Her complete lack of emotion towards him and Chance, along with the absence of her resolute opinion and resolve on discovering Feral's past transgressions and their current state, disturbed him greatly.

Something wasn't right.

As he listened to the subtle noises of the activity coming from the kitchen, he once again glanced down at her Blackberry. Who had she been texting earlier and why had she been frowning while she was doing so?

Jake looked up towards the entrance of the kitchen to see Callie walking in with two cups of steaming tea in her paws. A subtle smile lingered on her lips as she sat down next to him and set the cups down on the coffee table.

"There we go. I put a little bit of honey in yours to sweeten it up a little bit."

"Thank you." He smiled slightly, not sure if he should trust the hot beverage she placed before him. Callie sighed contentedly as she leaned back and rested her elbow on the back of the couch, resting her head in her paw as she looked at him.  
"What are you thinking about?" She finally asked after a moment of silence passed.

He shrugged while turning his head to look at her. He was going to test her, to see if he could confirm his suspicions. "I was just thinking back on what happened today. Felina told me that the reason why you stayed behind in City Hall was because you had to grab some paperwork."

Callie raised her eyebrow curiously, not sure where he was going with his train of thought. "Yes?"

"I noticed you didn't have any paperwork with you when we left."

A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "I must have dropped it… in the struggle."

"Hope it wasn't too important."

She shook her head. "We have copies in the office." Her reply was simple, not indulgent with any further information. Jake wasn't satisfied with how this conversation was going.

"I was just curious."

Callie tossed her hair lightly with a slight shake of her head, her laugh surprisingly musical. "Your always curious, my dear." She purred as she scooted closer to him, and before Jake could even blink, she had put her paw behind his head and pulled him to her, kissing him.

Somewhat stunned, Jake let her push him back onto the couch and lay herself on top of him as her kiss quickly grew passionate, seemingly exclusive from all reality. Normally he would have been rendered helpless and incapable of any thought when Callie kissed him in this manner. However, this time, he actually recovered from the shock after a few seconds, when realizing that Callie was kissing him with a very dominant nature.

It wasn't right; this wasn't the Callie he knew at all. Jake opened his eyes, getting ready to push her away when he saw that she had the syringe clenched firmly in her paw, its glistening needle mere inches away from his exposed neck.

His paw shot out and grabbed her wrist, twisting it so that she was made to drop the syringe on the floor. She let out an irate yowl, her eyes dangerous glistening slits as her claws from her free paw dug into his chest. Jake quickly flung her off of him onto her back on the floor alongside the couch. With a menacing hiss, she reached for the syringe lying just a few inches away, but failed to retrieve it as Jake wrestled her flat onto her back. He grabbed both of her wrists and pinned them to the floor slightly above her head.

Callie's pretty features had been distorted by a scathing fury, her mouth twisted into a loathsome sneer.

A growl rumbled deeply in Jake's throat as he returned her glare. He remembered this Callie all too well. "Where is she?" he demanded with a scarcely contained anger. When the she-kat underneath him began to laugh at his insistence, he fought to keep his breathing under control.

"Where do you think? She's with your better half."

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

She ignored the pain of her restraints cutting into her wrists as she struggled in vain to free herself of them. The T-Bone that stood before her was amused by her efforts, and her murderous glare didn't deter the smirk on his face in the least.

"Let me go this instant!" She growled, jerking on her restraints in emphasis.

Dark T-Bone laughed mockingly. "Now why would I do that?"

Callie couldn't believe it, it was just now hitting her that this T-Bone was not her friend, but rather, her enemy that was threatening everyone and everything she held dear.

"Have you no shame? How can you do this, especially to yourself?"

Dark T-Bone shrugged carelessly. "Shame is overrated. Besides, I'm not doing this to myself; I'm doing for myself. There is a big difference."

Callie shook her head. "But you and the T-Bone that lives here are the same! The same person! So you ARE doing this practically to yourself."

Dark T-Bone smiled enigmatically. "Hhhmmmm your right, we are the same. He came to my dimension that one time and ruined all of my business connections and blew up my jet so I'm just returning the favor."

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Callie growled.

Dark T-Bone's mocking laughter was drowned out by the rumbling engine of the cyclotron that shot in through the hidden entry, skidding to stop just feet away from where the big tabby stood. Dark Razor's mood was noticeably foul as he shut off the cyclotron.

"I knew it!" He spat venomously "I knew we shouldn't have trusted her or that little gnome."

T-Bone frowned. "What are you whining about now?"

"They're screwing us over!" Razor yelled as he walked up to his partner, "They have absolutely no intention of sending us back. They're probably going to do away with us after we're done with our alternates."

Callie's ears perked up when she heard the name 'little gnome'. That had to be the Pastmaster.

T-Bone rolled his eyes. "Not this crud again. You've been telling me this since we left our dimension."

"I meant it then just as I do now!"

"You know what? Shut up! I don't want to hear your paranoia!"

"You idiot! I can't believe your going to trust them over me!"

"He's got a point you know." Razor and T-Bone looked over at Callie, both surprised and annoyed with their prisoner's interruption. "The Pastmaster, he is definitely not one to keep his word, let alone trust. He looks out for himself, everyone else he uses as pawns in his little world domination game. Now regarding my evil alternate self, well, take it from me I wouldn't trust her either. "

T-Bone growled at her while Razor glared at her distrustfully. "You just told me that me and this other T-Bone are the same, so how do we not know that your just as bad as her, just on the opposing side?"

"Yes, we are the same person, but we're not of the same personality or mentality for that matter. I'm friends with your alternate and I'm dating his."

"Exactly! So why would I listen to anything you say, let alone trust you."

"So how does that make you feel? Not being able to trust anyone? It must feel terrible not having anyone…"

"Shut up, you don't know what you're talking about!"

"…in your life to look out for you or even care about what happens to you…"

T-Bone snarled in rage as he turned towards her, his paws balled up into quaking fists, and started to storm towards her. "When I say shut up I mean it!"

Before he could even strike her, Razor shot forward, blocking his partner and throwing him back, making him hit the ground hard onto his back.

Callie was shocked, staring at Razor's back as he stood in front of her defiantly, visibly angered.

T-Bone sat up slowly, giving Razor a death glare that was not to be taken lightly. "The one I don't trust is you." He hissed. Razor growled, showing his teeth with a defensive snarl as T-Bone continued, "I'd watch your back because if I catch you going against our plans in any way getting back home will be the least of your worries." Razor and T-Bone shot daggers between them as T-Bone got to his feet and started to back out into the bigger cavern of the cave. Finally, after a tense moment, he had left Razor and Callie alone.

Callie felt a faint glimmer of hope emerge from all of the chaos. Razor had protected her from his own partner, and he was obviously starting to doubt whatever they had planned.

"Thank you." Callie managed to speak, but wasn't given any response by Razor. She swallowed, unsure as to how she should approach him. "I can't even begin to imagine how hard this must be for you…"

She pressed her back all the way against the wall as Razor whirled around to face her, his eyes burning with a hot anger.

"I don't want your pity!" he spat.

"I'm sorry." She quickly responded, not wanting him to leave just yet. She looked him in the eyes, searching for some clue as to what he was thinking or how he felt about everything. It was disturbing, how this troubled, angry being before her was an exact clone of her Jake, the same body, same face and same expressive eyes, yet she knew it wasn't. She didn't know if the pain and sympathy she was feeling for him was wrong or justified, especially after what he did to her Jake, and what he helped do to the city. Yet, somehow, this sympathy was stronger than the anger.

"Have you dealt with the Pastmaster before, from the dimension you come from?" she asked, trying to make him less defensive, to draw him out.

Razor's ears were tilted sharply back, as if listening to make sure no one was close enough to hear him and Callie talking. "No. This is the first time we've dealt with him." His voice was low.

Callie nodded. "I meant it when I said he's not to be trusted. He's been giving us trouble in this dimension for years."

"What kind of trouble?"

"He's been trying to bring back the Dark Ages." Callie decided the simplest answers were for the best in this conversation.

Razor's frown grew bigger. "The Dark Ages? Then why is he going through the trouble to get rid of our alternates?"

"Because they've always stopped him. He probably figured that the only way to get rid of them was to use their own strengths against them… you two." Callie couldn't tell if she had made him mad again or if the look he was giving her was one of wariness.

"They came to our dimension and ruined everything, and left after blowing up our jet." His response was sharp and bitter.

Callie gulped. This was a very sensitive subject. "I know, Jake told me."

Razor tried his best not to show that hearing her say his name in such a gentle voice almost made him flinch.

"It really bothered him." She added quietly.

Razor shook his head and looked away from her. "Does the name Callista sound familiar to you?"

She went with the abrupt topic change. "Yes. Why?"

"That's who the Pastmaster went to see. He said he had to make sure she didn't interfere with his plans again."

It was Callie's turn to frown. "Great. She's helped us a lot in the past with him. She's a sorceress queen from the Dark Ages…my ancestor actually."

Razor was studying her, which made her somewhat uncomfortable. She wished she could just know what he was thinking. His ears twitched, swiveling forward then back again, still listening intently for T-Bone's unwanted return. Callie noticed that there appeared to be scars on his ears, jagged, long scars that should of made his ears torn and ragged. She couldn't help herself. "What happened to your ears?" She asked gently.

His left paw shot up to his left ear, feeling that the substance they had put on it to hold its pieces together was starting to wear off. He slowly turned, to look her directly in the face, unsure whether he should be angry or not. "Nothing."

"Look," Callie sighed, "I know you don't trust me or anybody else right now, and understandably so, but I mean it when I say this. What the Pastmaster is trying to do is not only going to affect this dimension, it's going to affect every dimension that has us in it. He must be stopped and I know that my Razor and T-Bone will be more of a help to you alive than dead."

Razor was silent and still, staring intently into her face. "Can they have this Callista send me back to my dimension?"

"Yes, I'm sure they can."

Razor's eyes narrowed, this time in deep thought. "I'll think about it." Came his firm reply. Callie nodded, knowing that that was the best answer she was going to get from him.


	13. Time To Fight Back

**Hello Dear Readers and Fellow SK FanWriters:**

**I just want to apologize about my absence, I've been extremely sick and have been make repeated hospital/doctor visits since May, because of a serious staph infection in my ankle and then because of mono which turned strangely into a case of swine flu. I've also just recently been in a incident that totaled my truck. Was not my fault, but I am the one without the vehicle and am now waiting for the insurance company to put forth the money to fix it. Ugh. Not been a good summer, I've had to sadly put my writing on the backburner, which is something I never like to do, since it is my passion and hopefully my future career. **

**However, here is chapter 13. It is a little short and I do apologize. I'm working on getting my head back into the story, so it may take a week or two before I have chapter 14 posted. But is shall be posted and this story will be finished...hopefully be the end of this year. *Gawd, its nearly October already!!* I just want to give Ulyferal a special thanks for beta reading this chapter and for her encouraging insight. Also to my readers/reviewers. You are the ones who motivate me to get this puppy finished. Hope this small bit does not disappoint. :D**

**Happy reading, and until the next update**

**~Etherweil**

Chapter 13

"Time To Fight Back"

Seeing Callie gagged and tied up on the couch was the last thing T-Bone had expected to see when he got back to the house. He looked at an obviously irate Callie with a hesitant wariness, his eyebrow raised as he slowly walked into the living room.

"Uh, Jake? What the hell is going on?"

Jake quickly appeared out of the kitchen with Callie's pink Coach purse clutched in one paw, his expression just as irate as Callie's.

T-Bone's nose wrinkled in uncertainty at the rather overwrought atmosphere of the room. "Ok, I know you are stressed out but if you guys had an argument I think tying her up and gagging her is hardly the right solution…"

T-Bone stopped mid-sentence, flinching in alarm as Jake roughly threw the purse down on the coffee table, making its contents explode onto the table and floor. He had never seen Jake this mad before. "Jake…"

"She's the Callie from the other dimension." Jake growled as he rummaged through the purse's scattered contents and picked up a small bottle of clear liquid that was probably the same substance as in the syringe.

T-Bone stared at Jake in surprise, and then narrowed his eyes as he glanced in Callie's direction. "No way."

"Yeah...way! Right after you guys left she tried to drug me with this." Jake held up the syringe and rolled it back and forth between his fingers.

Just then Feral and Felina walked into the room but paused when they saw Callie, who didn't hesitate to glare at them as well.

"Dare I ask what the situation is now?" Feral asked as he looked over them.

"We forgot to mention in our alternate dimension story that there was a corrupt Callie as well, and here she is. Apparently, our alternates have our Callie because they switched them out earlier today during the attack." Jake explained, bitterly.

Feral scowled. "Great. I just knew things were going to get worse before they got better…" He growled as he glanced over at Callie again and gave her a disapproving frown.

T-Bone sighed wearily as he took off his helmet and sat down on the far end of the couch Callie was tied up on.

She glared at him reproachfully as a low growl emitted from her gagged mouth.

T-Bone looked over at her, mildly amused. "What? You're in no position to growl at me missy."

"She's also been texting our alternates this whole time." Jake continued while he put down the syringe and picked up the Blackberry. "She sent, to some prepaid cell, that the original plan was out because we obviously didn't rebel against you." he gestured at Feral with the paw that held the phone, ".... and so they are now changing their strategy to a plan B."

"Then why don't we just ask her what this plan B is?" Felina countered, her paws set firmly on her hips, glaring at the alternate she-kat.

"What makes you think she knows what those two are planning?" T-Bone asked, looking at the blonde next to him doubtfully. "She probably couldn't care less."

"No offense, but I seriously doubt your alternates are even capable of running their operation," Feral said, giving Jake and T-Bone a pointed look, ".... because it seems to me they are either too busy bickering between themselves or are hell bent on getting revenge."

They both shrugged. "None taken."

T-Bone sighed as he leaned back into the couch.

"Now that you mention it, I don't think the Pastmaster would be able to control them himself. She probably is the real mastermind behind all of this." Jake growled.

"Exactly why we should try to get some information out of her." Felina interjected as she walked over to the couch, bent down and removed Callie's gag.

Callie hissed the moment her mouth was free. "Bite me." She spat. "I'm not going to tell you anything."

"Oh so feisty!" T-Bone cooed, mockingly. "Give it up blondie or we'll dump you in the inlet tied to a chair."

Callie laughed. "Don't threaten me with something you won't do. You two are nothing but a pair of sissies."

Before anyone could speak, Jake was suddenly standing before Callie and leaning down, staring her face to face with his paws resting on the couch on both sides of her shoulders. "You seem to forget that even though they're from a different dimension, we are the exact same individuals as our alternates, so, you'd better tell us where my Callie is being held and what 'plan B' is before I reach the breaking point 'he' did." His voice deadly cold.

T-Bone and Felina's eyes both widened while Feral's eyes narrowed in slight worry.

The corner of Callie's mouth curled up into a daring smile. "Go ahead," she breathed, "I've got nothing to lose, just like you."

Jake's jaw clenched, and his eyes seemed to burst into fierce ocher flames. Both T-Bone and Feral noticed his paws tighten into the couch's fabric, signaling that maybe it was a good time to interfere.

"Hey buddy, calm down. We'll find Callie on our own, we don't need her help man." T-Bone stated calmly while sitting up and reaching over to put a paw on his friends shoulder comfortingly.

Jake didn't move for a moment as he and Callie glared challengingly into each other's eyes. Jake didn't blink once as he slowly stood, the intensity of his anger not cooling down in the least from his eyes or body language.

Felina stepped forward and picked the cellphone up off the table. "Ignore her Jake, she's just toying with you." She shot Callie a dirty look, "Instead of prying her for information, lets just call their bluff."

"Call their bluff?" Jake snorted hotly.

"Yes." She replied patiently, "We let them know we have their Callie; put this whole game into a check."

"Nice." T-Bone nodded, grinning. "But you got to let one of us do the talking. It won't be as affective if either one of you did it instead." He motioned his paw from Felina over to Feral.

"True, that is why you will do the talking." Feral stated firmly. "Letting Jake talk to them might give us a reaction we wouldn't want."

"Why do you say that?" Jake crossed his arms over his chest, indignant.

"For obvious reasons." He shot back, however not harshly. "They've found your weakness, and its best that they don't know of it."

Jake blinked, surprised, then sighed in resignation. "Sorry, your right."

Feral shrugged. "Its fine, we all will have to keep our heads cool and collected, or we could make a mistake that we won't be able to recover from."

"I don't doubt that." T-bone sighed as he stood up and held out his paw for the cell phone. "Lets do this."

As Felina handed the cell phone over to him, Feral looked over at a scowling Callie distrustfully. "Lets gag her again so that she won't yell out anything."

"My pleasure." Felina purred as she grabbed the cloth and tied it around Callie's mouth. Callie growled furiously as she shook her head and fought against Felina and her bonds, but in the end her outrage was muffled and her captors ignored her.

The number was selected on the screen, and T-Bone took a deep breath. "Okay, here goes nothing." He pressed the dial button and put the phone on speaker.

~Back at the Unknown hangar~

Dark T-Bone was still seething from the disagreement he and Razor had had earlier. He was sitting on a crate, watching Razor work on one of the gadgets that he had labeled as the dimensional radar. '_He's such an idiot.' _He thought to himself. However, his thoughts were interrupted when the cell phone that he had placed on the center table started to ring demandingly.

Razor looked up from his project as T-Bone got up and walked over to it. "Looks like we're going to go pick up your alternate, finally." He smirked as he picked up the phone and answered it. "Bout time you called, we were starting to think you got too carried away with the seducing part."

"Awh, I don't know about you Nancy boy, but I don't get down like that." T-Bone smirked on the other line, obviously pleased with his witty comeback. Jake and Felina looked at each other and smiled while Feral rolled his eyes, although he was secretly amused as well.

Dark Razor watched as the big tabby's sneering expression turned into one of displeased shock. He placed the tool in his paw onto the table quietly and approached he table, though still keeping a safe distance from his partner. T-Bone recovered quickly from the shock and smiled sadistically. "Finally, we're getting some fight outta you guys; I was starting to get bored."

"We know what you're planning, so you'd better give it up. We've got your Callie and the Pastmaster is gone."

Dark T-Bone snorted. "Oh is that so? Well then, in that case…" his deep voice dripped with a lazy sarcasm that made Jake grit his teeth. He didn't like how Dark T-Bone wasn't troubled at the turn of events.

"You're outnumbered and out powered." T-Bone fought to keep his tone calm and even.

"By who? Let me guess, you and Tweedle Dummer with Sergeant Pepper and his pathetic marching band of Enforcers? Ooooh we're so scared."

"We'll blow your tails out of the sky just like we did last time, except it won't end with you two walking away from it."

Dark T-Bone laughed heartily. "Alright, I gottcha tough guy. We'll just see which pair of Swat Kats is left in the air by this time tomorrow."

Back at Callie's house, they all stared at the cell phone as the words 'Call Ended' flashed on the screen.


End file.
